Lok Sabha polls in Kerala April 10

Kerala's over two crore-strong electorate - in which women outnumber men - will vote April 10 to elect candidates from the state's 20 Lok Sabha constituencies.

The last date for filing of nominations is March 22, scrutiny would take place on March 24 and March 26 would be the last date for withdrawal of nominations, election officials said Wednesday. Counting of votes will take place on May 16 along with the rest of the country.

Addressing reporters here, chief electoral officer Nalini Netto said the state has a total of 2,37,92,270 voters - 1,23,49,345 women and 1,14,42,925 men - as on date.

"In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the total electorate stood at 2,18,59,536 voters. Those who have not yet got their names in the electoral list can do it online or going to their respective taluka office and can register their names, latest by March 9," said Netto.

In all, the electoral exercise in 2014 will see 11,895 polling locations which will have 21,424 polling booths as against 20,476 polling booths in 2009.

There would be around 1.5 lakh polling officials.

"In our state we have achieved a 100 percent coverage in photo electoral identity cards and we have a 70 per cent electoral-population ratio and our gender electoral ratio is also the highest, standing at 1,079 women to 1,000 men," said Netto.

Netto said the general norm is to have one general observer and one expenditure observer in each of the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies here. "There is a provision for having an awareness observer and also a police observer ... till now in Kerala, we have not had these two type of observers," she said.

She also pointed out that from now on they will be closely observing each of the constituencies and action would be taken if any group of people are subjected to threats from any section.