All set for municipal polls counting today in Andhra Pradesh
Collector G Veera Pandian inspects arrangements for counting of votes for municipal elections, in Kurnool on Saturday
Vijayawada: All arrangements are in place for counting of votes for the just-held urban local body elections. Counting would begin on Sunday in 12 municipal corporations, 70 municipalities and Nagara panchayats in the State. The elections were held on March 10.
As the countdown has started, tension is mounting among the candidates and the political parties. It is expected that by 11 am the results of more than 70 per cent municipalities and nagara panchayats will be announced. Over 17,000 staff were drafted for the counting of votes.
More than 20,000 police personnel have been deployed to see that no untoward incidents take place at the counting centres.
The results of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation are likely to take more time. The results for these two municipal corporations are expected by evening.
In Vijayawada, the counting will be held at the Andhra Loyola college.
The Election Commission on Saturday issued orders to the officials to provide adequate lighting facilities at the strong rooms as well as counting centres. It instructed the officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply and to make alternative arrangements like generators and inverters.
The SEC also directed that the counting process shall be recorded by videography or CC cameras or webcasting as such footage/ recordings will form part of the record.
It further instructed officials to ensure that counting ends as early as possible. All-out efforts should be made to complete the process of counting by 8 pm.
While the YSRCP is confident that it would win most of the ULBs, the Telugu Desam Party is also hopeful of better performance as compared to the Grama Panchayat Elections.