Andhra Pradesh panchayat elections: 23.94 lakh voters to exercise franchise in Chittoor

Chittoor: In-charge district collector K Markendeyulu said 23.94 lakh voters, including 11.88 male voters and 12.06 lakh female voters under 1,369 Gram panchayats in the Chittoor district would exercise their franchise in the ensuring panchayat elections. Nominations for first phase polls would begin from Friday onwards in 20 mandals under Chittoor revenue division.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Markandeyulu said that gram panchayat polls would be held in the district in three phases. "In the first phase, 20 mandals of Chittoor revenue division, in the second phase

17 mandals of Madanapalli division and 14 mandal in Tirupati revenue division in the third phase will go to polls," he said.

Around 47,000 polling personnel would be deployed for conducting the elections in a smooth and peaceful manner. The stage has been set for procuring the required ballot boxes and ballot papers would be printed.

Participating in the media conference, district SP Senthil Kumar said that an exercise for identifying the hypersensitive, sensitive and normal polling stations for deploying police force accordintly has been completed.

"Additional police force would also be deployed from other parts of the state if needed. Bind over cases would be registered against the anti-social elements throughout the district," the SP said. Joint collector (development) V Veera Brahmam, trainee collector Vishnu Charan, ZP CEO Prabhakar Reddy and others were present.