Primer for KMC polls today

Kolkatans living across the 144 wards of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation will vote in the city civic polls on Sunday. Here is the list of things voters should know and follow before they step out to cast their vote.

Voting starts at: 7am

Voting ends at: Officially 5pm (voters who stand in the queue before 5pm will be allowed to vote).

Covid patients: Covid patients and people in quarantine will be allowed to vote in the last one hour of voting following all Covid-preventive measures. According to official records of the state election commission, as of December 17, there are 163 people infected with Covid in the KMC jurisdiction, of whom 96 have told the commission that they are willing to cast their vote on Sunday.

Documents needed: For identification of voters at polling stations, the voter shall present the EPIC or any of the following identification documents approved by the commission

• Aadhar card

• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act job card

• Passbook with photograph issued by bank/post office

• Health insurance smart card issued under the scheme of the ministry of labour

• Driving licence

• PAN card

• Smart card issued by RGI under NPR

• Indian passport

• Pension document with photograph

• Service identity cards with photograph issued to employees by central/state govt/ PSUs/public limited companies

• Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs

Dry day: Liquor shops that fall under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata police have been closed from Friday 5pm till the end of election on Sunday.

Restaurants and bars: Restaurants — barring ones within a 200m radius of a polling booth — will be open for lunch. Restaurants on Park Street do not have a booth within 200m, said owners. But lunch is going to be a dry affair. Bars will open in the evening, after voting ends and with a nod from the local police station, said restaurateurs.

Malls: South City Mall will open for visitors at 1pm, Acropolis at 4pm. Quest and Forum at 5pm.

Police arrangements:

• 23,000 police personnel will be on duty

• 107 senior officers, including joint commissioners, deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners

• 200 police pickets

• 72 radio flying quads and mobile patrols

• 18 quick response teams

• 35 heavy radio flying squads

• 6-river patrol

Weather: Sunday is going to be cold, bright and sunny. The Celsius plunged to 13.5 degrees on Saturday and the slide is going to continue, said a Met official.

Metro: Timings unchanged. The first train will leave Dakshineswar, Dum Dum and New Garia at 10am. The last train will leave Dakshineswar at 9.18pm. The last trains will leave Dum Dum and New Garia at 9.30pm.

Museums and parks: Victoria Memorial will be open for visitors as usual from 10am to 6pm. Science City will be open from 10am to 7pm. Alipore Zoo will remain shut on Sunday.

Helpline numbers:

• Election commission: 033-22900040/41

• Lalbazar control room: 033-22143230/033-22141310