The second-level randomisation of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the 1,677 polling stations in Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai and Tirupattur districts were held on Tuesday as part of the upcoming local bodies elections.
Election officials said these EVMs that include control units and ballot units were checked and certified by a team of engineers from BEL, before the randomisation process was taken up in the presence of district election officers, observers, candidates and representatives of political parties in these districts. The second round of randomisation was done only after the candidates were finalised. The EVMs for polling stations will be allocated after the third round of randomisation.
In Vellore, the second randomisation was launched by District Election Officer P. Kumaravel Pandian, in the presence of election officials and representatives of political parties. “Adequate infrastructural facilities like separate pathways for election officials, candidates and police are being created at counting centres in the district. The existing surveillance system is also being strengthened,” said D. Bhaskara Pandian, District Election Officer (Ranipet).
With the announcement of final list of candidates, the EVMs have been sent to the respective local bodies where the elections will be held to install symbols especially those that have been allocated for the independent candidates in these machines.
A total of 3,898 candidates will be contesting for 912 wards in these districts that comprises 16 municipalities, 25 town panchayats and one corporation (Vellore City Corporation).
Tiruvannmalai and Ranipet have the highest number of urban local bodies with 14 local bodies in each district. Around 12.92 lakh voters including 6.59 lakh women voters will cast their votes in these districts for the elections. Elections will be held on February 19. The counting of votes will be taken up on February 22 and results will be announced on the same day. Indirect elections for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor and chairperson and vice chairperson of municipalities will be held on March 4.
