Kerala LSG elections: Tiger census may prevent almost 3,000 Forest Dept staff from voting

Thiruvananthapuram: Forest department staff assigned to Kerala’s tiger census have complained that they will be unable to vote in the upcoming local body elections. Nearly 3,000 employees across various posts in the department may lose the opportunity to exercise their voting rights.

The tiger census schedule has been set to conclude on December 8, while the local body elections are slated for December 9 and 11. Training for those taking part in the census was held yesterday in Kottur.

The census is being carried out across 675 blocks, using 2,100 permanent staff, including beat forest officers and beat assistants, and more than 1,000 daily-wage workers. The order stipulates that at least three staff members must be deployed in each block.

The tiger census is being rushed through during the same period as the local elections. Although census activities officially end on the afternoon of December 8, many staff working deep inside the forests say they will not be able to reach their respective polling stations. Several ranges lack adequate transport facilities, further complicating matters.

Most employees serving in the territorial division have already been assigned election duties, giving them access to postal voting. However, those involved in the census do not have this option. Staff posted in districts far from their home constituencies also fear they will be unable to return home in time to vote.