ULB polls: Chennai to step out, get inked today

After a gap of ten years, the capital Chennai and other tier-two cities will vote for Urban Local Body elections on Saturday. The metropolis will elect 200 councillors who will then choose from amongst them the city’s Mayor, in an indirect election. In a first for the city, the post of Mayor has been reserved for a woman candidate from the Scheduled Castes. Also, the half of the next council will be women as 50 per cent of the wards have been reserved for them.

According to official sources, the electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been safely transported to the city’s polling stations on Friday evening, and the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission and Chennai corporation have put in place all arrangements, including live streaming of electoral proceedings. A total of 1,32,000 personnel will be on deployed on duty for the polls in city, which has 2.83 crore people eligible voters.

Chennai Corporation sources told DT Next that live-streaming of poll proceedings from critical and vulnerable polling booths is part of a security measure. Moreover, a control room has been set up at the Ripon Building to monitor the polling. Also, CCTV cameras have been installed at all the 5,794 polling booths.

Meanwhile, polling duties have been allocated to more than 27,000 polling officials through computer-based randomization and electronic voting machines have been sent to the respective polling stations already. Senior officials including Chennai District Collector J Vijaya Rani inspected the transportation of machines to the booths. Around 6,500 control units, including backup units, will be used.

In a statement, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Chennai Corporation Commissioner and district election officer, said that voters who visit the polling booths before 5 pm will only be allowed to vote. “Tokens will be distributed to them. COVID-19 patients and persons with symptoms can vote between 5 pm to 6 pm by wearing protective kits,” he added.

While names of more than 61.73 lakh voters are included in the voters’ list for the urban local body election in Chennai, several residents complain that civic officials failed to change addresses.

“I have applied for address change just after the announcement of election dates. But the officials refuse to entertain the application citing the announcement of the dates. This is despite they being allowed to do corrections till the last date of nominations,” Karthikeyan, a Kodungaiyur resident said.

Total zones - 15

Area 426 km

Total voters - 61,73,112

Male voters - 30,49,529

Female voters - 31,21,954

Third gender 1,629

Total wards - 200

Wards reserved for women - 100

Wards with the highest number of candidates 190 & 192 - 24 each

Wards with the least number of candidates 17, 28 & 167 - 6 each

Candidates in fray 2,670

Total polling booths 5,794

Polling booths for men - 255

Polling booths for women- 255

Vulnerable and critical polling booths identified-1,139

TAMBARAM Corporation Total wards - 70 | Polling booths-703 | Polling locations - 126 | Total candidates - 684

Total voters -7,76,512 | Male voters - 3,85,889 | Female voters- 3,90,531 | Third gender - 92

AVADI Corporation

Total wards 48 | Polling booths - 350 Total candidates - 396| Tiruvottiyur 2,64,327

Total voters -3,12,033 | Male voters - 1,54,633 Female voters - 1,57,334 | Third gender - 73

Tiruvottiyur 2,64,327

Manali -98,387

Madhavaram 1,99,601

Tondiarpet 6,12,419

Royapuram 4,66,958

Thiru Vi Ka Nagar 5.68.112

Ambattur 4,44,342

Anna Nagar 6,12,521

Teynampet 63,9,266

Kodambakkam 6,66,771

Valasaravak kam 3,35,596

Alandur 2,28,495

Adyar-5,18,266

Perungudi 3,02,458

Sholinganallur - 2,15.593

What all can be produced as ID proof at booth

Elector's Photo Identity Card (EPIC)

Aadhaar card

Passport

Driving license

PAN card

MNREGA job card

Pension document with photograph

Passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office

Smart card issued by National People Registry

Health insurance card issued by Ministry of Labour

Service ID with photograph issued by Central/State Govt, PSUS/Public Limited Companies,

Official identity cards to MPs/MLAS/ MLCS

Eight-cornered contest in most places, with allies parting ways to contest alone and prove strength

Last year's Assembly election was mainly two cornered between fronts led by DMK & AIADMK While DMK, Congress, and Left are contesting as allies, in Opposition camp AIADMK, PMK, BJP, Naam

While DMK, Congress and Left are contesting as allies, in Opposition camp AIADMK, PMK, BJP, Naam TamizharKatchi, AMMK and MNM are contesting alone

The State election commission has cancelled the elections to Kadambur local body stating poll violations