Bengaluru, April 4 (IANS): Tne Election Commission on Wednesday held meetings with top state officials to review the preparations for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections, an election official said.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Om Prakash Rawat and Election Commissioners (ECs) Sunil Arora and Ashok Lavasa held a series of meetings with high officials, including Chief Secretary Ratna Prabha, Director General of Police Neelamani Raju and Secretaries of the departments concerned for the smooth conduct of polls in 224 Assembly segments, the official told IANS.
The CEC and two ECs arrived here on a three-day visit to review state administration's preparedness for the peaceful conduct of elections.
The EC officers will on Thursday meet Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of all 30 districts to take stock of preparations, including security measures put in place at 56,696 polling booths.
They will meet representatives of national and regional political parties on Friday regarding observance of Model Code of Conduct till the poling date, especially during campaigning.
The southern state has 4.96 crore electors, including 2.52 crore men and 2.44 crore women. As many as 4,500 transgenders have also registered to cast their votes.
A total of 15,42,000 persons in the 18-19 age group are first-time voters.
In all, 3,56,552 security personnel will be deployed for the polling. Counting of votes will be taken up on May 15.
The poll panel has released publicity material and video clips for increased voter awareness and greater participation of the electorate in the election process.
Video clips on facilities for the disabled to vote, all-women polling stations and efforts made by the EC to include primitive tribes into the electoral process have been released.
As many as 450 polling stations manned by women will be set up, including presiding and polling officers, observers and security personnel.
"The pink booths are aimed at empowering women and increasing their participation in the poll process," the EC said in a statement here.