Around 1,48,573 voters will decide the electoral fortunes of as many as 28 candidates in the fray for six ZPTCs and 244 candidates in the race for 56 MPTCs spread across six mandals in the final phase of the rural local body elections on Tuesday.
With some of the polling stations located in the forest fringe areas of Gundala mandal, considered a hitherto stronghold of Naxal groups, and remote locations of Yellandu mandal, police have put in place elaborate security measures to ensure incident-free polling.
Leaving nothing to chance, police have deployed adequate personnel for Tuesday’s election bandobust in all the 311 polling stations in Allapalli, Gundala, Sujathnagar, Chunchupalli, Laxmidevipalli and Yellandu mandals.
Elaborate arrangements
Arrangements have been made to monitor the polling process through web-casting in as many as 45 polling stations comprising those identified as critical.
In Khammam, a little over 2.46 lakh registered voters are expected to exercise their franchise in 509 polling stations in the third and final phase rural local body elections for seven ZPTCs and 92 MPTCs to be held on Tuesday.
Police have beefed up security in the politically-sensitive villages in Raghunadhapalem, Chintakani, Bonakal, Konijerla, Madhira, Wyra and Yerrupalem mandals.
1,03,577 voters
The last and third phase of polling to elect five ZPTC members and 40 MPTC members in Rajanna-Sircilla district would be held on Tuesday.
Polling would be held in 227 poll booths at 87 locations in Konaraopeta, Chandurthi, Rudrangi, Vemulawada (rural) and Vemulawada (urban) mandals. A total of 1,03,577 voters, including 53,129 women and 50,448 men, would exercise their franchise.
A total of 295 presiding officers and 295 assistant presiding officers and 1,180 polling staff were deployed for smooth conduct.
Poll personnel on alert
DRO N. Bheema Naik instructed the polling personnel deployed at various stations to make night halts for inspections.
He warned of disciplinary action against staff found sleeping in the houses of elected representatives, relatives and friends.
He also informed them to be alert to avoid voters taking selfies and pictures of ballot papers and posting them on social media.