Women voters outnumber men in UT

The voters strength in the Union Territory of Puducherry, going to polls on May 16, has increased to 9,48,717, with women outnumbering men, Chief Electoral Officer of Puducherry V.Candavelou said today.
The voters strength was 9,27,665 when the final roll was published on January 11 this year. Updating it has raised the strength of voters now to 9,48,717.
Women voters outnumber their male counterparts. While there are 4,50,846 men voters, the strength of women voters is 4,97,790. The Union Territory has 81 third gender voters.
There are 930 polling stations in the Union Territory and the election authorities have carved out 17 out of these polling booths to set up auxiliary polling stations which would be totally manned by women polling personnel.

Candavelou said all polling stations would be webcast and sixty model polling stations at the rate of two stations per constituency would be set up in the union territory.
He said that as had been announced by Election Commission of India Voters Verifiable Paper Audit Trails '(VVPATs) machines would be used in 67 polling stations with less than 1350 voters in each of them in three Assembly constituencies-Uppalam, Orleanpeth and Karaikal (south).

Of the 930 polling stations the election authorities have identified 132 polling booths as vulnerable as of now. The flying squads have seized unaccounted money of around Rs 86 lakh, including Rs 10 lakh seized in Karaikal today.

Candavelou said around Rs 58 lakh had been returned after verification while Rs 18.33 lakh has been handed over to Income Tax Department.
As much as 4,668 litres of liquor have been seized besides confiscation of crackers and garments, among other items.