134 candidates for three seats: Corpn gets 1,400 extra ballot units

District Election Officer and Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said that the Election Commission has sent the additional ballot units following a request from the civic body. “Of the four constituencies (including Perambur ), number of candidates is higher in three constituencies. We have to use three ballot units in these constituencies instead of two units,” he added.

Chennai district has 3,754 polling booths and the EC has allotted 10,791 ballot units. “In addition to that, we will use an additional 1,400 ballot units. They are all ready,” he said after the randomisation of polling personnel on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a Chennai Corporation official explained that it is mandated to keep 20 per cent of ballot units as backup. “Each ballot unit can accommodate only 16 candidates.”

Twenty-three candidates are contesting in North Chennai, while 40 and 31 candidates are contesting in South Chennai and Central Chennai respectively. In Perambur, 40 candidates are in the fray. Apart from using more than 12,000 ballot units, the district election office would deploy 24,000 polling personnel.

Explaining the facilities for voters with disabilities, Prakash said that the civic body has identified nearly 7,000 such voters and PwD-friendly arrangements are being made at all polling booths. “We have seized Rs 7 crore cash and 40 kg gold that was carried without documents. Of the total 62 complaints regarding cash movement, 52 FIRs were filed and 65 FIRs were filed for violating the model code of conduct,” Prakash said.