Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 27 (IANS): Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Tikka Ram Meena on Saturday said Kerala has 2,67,31,509 voters which include 1,37,79,263 women, 1,29,52,025 men and 221 transgender voters.

Kerala will go to the polls on April 6 to elect 140 legislators for which votes will be counted on May 2.

The polling time would be from 7 a.m to 7 p.m., with the last hour kept for Covid positive voters.

The rules now allow for voters aged over 80 to avail the postal voting facility and in the state as there are 6,21,401 voters in this category, while there are 90,709 non-resident Indian voters.

In the 2016 Assembly polls, 21,498 polling booths were there, but this time due to the Covid pandemic the number of polling booths has been increased to 40,771.

Meena however pointed out that the polling time in certain Naxal-affected areas would end at 6 p.m.

"There are 549 critical location polling booths and 433 come under the vulnerable category and all these booths will have central security cover. Webcasting would be there in 50 per cent of polling booths," said Meena.

He pointed out that they he has asked for 150 companies of central forces, of which 30 have already arrived in the state.