Thiruvananthapuram: The names of nearly 24,000 people appear in the first list of special voters comprising Covid patients and those in quarantine for the first phase of local body polls in five districts of Kerala.

The distribution of special ballots for these voters will begin from Wednesday.

According to State Election Commissioner V Bhaskaran there are 23,621 special voters in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts which go to polls on December 8. The list was prepared by the health department on Monday based on the assessment made on November 29 and handed over to the collectors. Of these 8,568 are Covid positive and 15,053 in quarantine.

The total voters in these five districts are 88.26 lakh.

The special voters list will be updated till 3 pm on December 7. Even if those who figure in the list turn negative or their quarantine period gets over before the polling, they will be able to cast only postal ballots. Since their names would be in the list available with the polling officers, they will not be able to cast their votes directly in booths.

Last voters

Those who are tested Covid positive or go in quarantine after 3 pm on the penultimate day of polling, will be the last ones to vote in their respective booths. Such voters need to reach the booths wearing PPE kits before the end of polling at 6 pm.

All the general voters will get the opportunity to vote till 6 pm. Once that gets over, the special voters will be permitted to vote. Even if there is no queue of general voters in the last one hour of the prescribed voting time, the same voting guideline would be followed, the Commission stated.

No marking with indelible ink

The Commission has stated that indelible ink will not be applied on the index finger of Covid-positives or people under quarantine when officials reach their place of stay or quarantine centre to get their votes polled.

If required, indelible ink will be applied on such cases who reach the polling booth directly to cast their votes. This is being done since such voters would be wearing PPE kits.

If required the voters will be asked to remove PPE kit or mask for identification.