In a first, EVMs shifted out of Edamalakkudy on the same day of polling

First tribal grama panchayat shifts EVMs to Devikulam base camp on polling day, overcoming wild animal threats.

For the first time, the electronic voting machines (EVM) from Edamalakkudy, the first tribal grama panchayat in the State, was shifted to the base camp of Devikulam on the same day of the polling on Friday.

Normally, officials on polling duty return to Devikulam the next day of the polling to avoid night travel since there is a chance of attacks by wild animals on the forest path. This time, however, the team reached Devikulam on the same day.

Devikulam Subcollector V.M. Jayakrishnan said the polling team reached Devikulam around 11.45 p.m. on Friday. “The team travelled through the deep forest route under the protection of police and forest officials,” said the official.

During the mock polling, an EVM at the Mulakutharakkudy booth developed technical snag. The machine was promptly replaced, and the polling continued. “To ensure smooth polling, extra EVMs were allotted to each booth,” said the official.

Sectoral officer and Edamalakkudy village officer Syam G. Nath said that due to the presence of wild elephants on the route, nearly 50 voters could not cast their votes at the Parappayarkudy booth, resulting in a dip in polling there. According to officials, of the 296 voters, only 147 people cast their votes at the Parappayarkudy booth. “In 2019, 176 people had voted there,” said the official.

“The tribal voters from Nooradykudy, a settlement bordering Tamil Nadu, could not travel to the polling booth due to the presence of wild animals on the path. Tribespeople need to trek over two hours inside the deep forest to reach the polling booth,” said Mr. Nath.

According to officials, three polling booths were set up in the tribal panchayat. Of the 1,844 voters, 1,041 persons voted. Details from the Parappayarkudy and Mulakutharakkudy booths was collected at intervals and were handed over to the collectorate via police wireless set due to the absence of a mobile network.