406 sensitive booths in city under multi-level watch

The 21.5 per cent increase in the number of booths in Tamil Nadu compared to the 2011 polls (65,616 booths now, compared to 54,016 in 2011) has resulted in the number of sensitive booths also going up. 

While Chennai has 3,771 polling booths in 891 locations, 406 booths in 168 locations have been declared sensitive. Though 418 booths were initially brought under this category, the number was scaled down after a local survey, officials said. A total of 314 trouble makers are under watch by the state police, officials added. 

A poll booth being declared sensitive depends on its history including incidents of violence, or a candidate/ political party getting most votes, potential for rigging or other incidents. Paramilitary force companies consisting of 100-odd members for Chennai will ensure free and fair elections. 

In addition to video cameras — which all booths will have — sensitive booths will have live webcasting of the polling process. As the number of sensitive booths has increased this time, those which lack web streaming facilities will have micro observers. The latter are central government officials who will be deputed to sensitive booths only on the poll day. Local poll officials including the booth presiding officer and three poll officials will be unaware of their identity till the micro observer arrives. Micro observers report directly to the general observer of the constituency. Additionally, such booths will have members of paramilitary forces and not the Tami Nadu police. 

“The public will not know whether the booth where they cast their vote is sensitive. That might prevent them from coming to vote at all. Only officials will know the identity of sensitive booths,” an official said. 

City police commissionerate sources said 6,916 state police personnel and another 672 central para-military forces would be on duty on May 16. All operations are overseen by eight general observers, 12 expenditure observers and one police observer. The exercise would involve 15, 567 state government employees and another 4,489 central government employees. 

With a total of 378 candidates in the fray, the city assumes importance as most bigwigs, including CM Jayalalithaa and DMK chief M Karunanidhi will cast their votes here. RK Nagar, where Jayalalithaa contests has the highest number of candidates (45) followed by Perambur (33), Harbour (25), Mylapore (25) and Velachery (25). Villivakkam and Royapuram come last with 17 candidates. As an EVM (electronic voting machine can accommodate only 16 candidates’ names, RK Nagar booths will have three units each.