Lok Sabha polls | 101 polling stations in Chennai to be changed to new locations

The changes have been made following requests from residents for polling to take place at buildings that have better access and facilities

File photograph used for representational purposes only

The Chennai District Election Office has changed the locations of 101 polling stations in the city, following demands from local residents to improve access and provide better facilities for electors. The city has a total of 3,726 polling stations.

Polling booths in 14 buildings in the Royapuram segment of the North Chennai Parliamentary constituency and 14 buildings in the Thousand Lights segment of the Central Chennai Parliamentary constituency have been changed to new locations.

In the Velachery segment of the South Chennai Parliamentary constituency, as many as 12 locations have been changed. In the Villivakkam segment of the Central Chennai Parliamentary constituency, 11 polling stations have been changed to new buildings. Here, many residents had requested a change of buildings owing to Chennai Metro Rail work. However, polling booths have not been changed in segments such as Mylapore, Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar, Thyagaraya Nagar and Virugambakkam.

Polling stations have also been changed at 10 buildings in Perambur; eight in Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni; eight in Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar; six in Saidapet; six in Kolathur; five in Anna Nagar; five in Egmore and two in the Harbour segments.

According to election officials, residents will get information about the new polling locations from the voter information slip which will be distributed by booth-level officers five days ahead of the elections. Residents can also get this information by dialling the helpline 1950 after the new locations are approved, ahead of the elections. Political party functionaries have been sensitised about the changes to polling stations in the city.

The filing of nominations for the North Chennai Parliamentary constituency will begin at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the Chennai Corporation’s North Regional Office, Basin Bridge Road, Old Washermenpet. Candidates of the Central Chennai Parliamentary constituency will file nominations at the Office of the Chennai Corporation’s Central Regional Deputy Commissioner, Pulla Avenue, Shenoy Nagar. For the South Chennai Parliamentary constituency, the filing of nominations will be done at Chennai Corporation’s South Regional Office, Dr. Muthulakshmi Salai, Adyar.