Palakkad Byelection: Voting begins with long queues at several polling booths
The Palakkad constituency witnesses a high-stakes byelection with key candidates from UDF, LDF, and BJP battling for dominance. With 1.94 lakh voters, including a significant number of senior citizens, first-time voters, and NRIs, the election outcome is crucial.
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FollowPalakkad: In the Palakkad constituency, known for its unexpected twists and turns during the election campaign, polling day has arrived. Voting began promptly at 7 AM following a mock polling session. By 6 AM, voters had already started gathering at polling stations, aiming to cast their votes early and avoid the rush later in the day.
As soon as polling started, long queues were seen at several booths. Voting will continue until 6 PM. The Palakkad assembly constituency, which includes the Palakkad Municipality, Pirayiri, Kannadi, and Mathur panchayats, has 184 polling booths. A total of 1,94,706 voters, including 1,00,290 women, will cast their votes today to decide the fate of the candidates.
Among the total voters, 2,306 are over 85 years old, 2,445 are aged between 18 and 19, 780 are differently-abled individuals, and four are transgender voters. Additionally, 229 expatriates are registered as voters. A total of ten candidates are contesting in the Palakkad constituency. After the polling concludes, the ballots will be secured in strong rooms set up at the college’s New Tamil Block.
This election holds critical importance for all three political fronts, following one of the most eventful campaign periods in Kerala's political history. UDF candidate Rahul Mamkoottathil is fighting to retain the seat, previously won by Shafi Parambil. On the other hand, P. Sarin, who left Congress, now contests under the LDF banner and aims to prove the validity of his political shift.
The BJP, which made significant inroads with Metroman E. Sreedharan last time, aims to capture the constituency through its candidate Krishnakumar. The impact of Sandeep Varier's recent switch to Congress is also a hot topic in the constituency. Following the conclusion of the silent campaign yesterday, all candidates remain highly confident about their prospects.
Holiday Declared in Palakkad Constituency Today
Due to the by-election in Palakkad, the District Collector has declared a holiday today (November 20) in the Palakkad Assembly constituency. According to District Collector Dr. S. Chitra, the General Administration Department has announced a holiday for all educational institutions and government offices within the constituency's jurisdiction.
All government, semi-government, and private establishments, including banks, educational institutions, and public sector units in the constituency, will observe a paid holiday today.
790 Differently-Abled Voters; 184 Polling Booths Made Accessible
Special measures have been implemented to ensure a smooth voting experience for differently-abled voters in the by-election. All 184 polling booths have been set up on the ground floor to provide easy access. Facilities such as ramps, wheelchairs for those with mobility impairments, assistants for visually impaired voters, drinking water, and Braille-enabled voting machines have been arranged at each booth.
Differently-abled and elderly voters will not need to stand in queues. In case of emergencies, transport facilities will be available. Additionally, the Saksham app allows differently-abled voters to request wheelchairs and other assistance. The main building of Vennakkara Government High School has been designated as a polling booth exclusively for differently-abled voters.
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