Nellore : All set for Atmakur byelection today

Nellore : All arrangements have been made for the polling in Atmakur Assembly constituency on Thursday. A total of 14 candidates are in the fray, and all are male. Both the ruling YSRCP and the BJP have fielded one candidate and TDP has not fielded its candidate.

There are 14 candidates in the fray for Atmakur byelection. YSRCP candidate Mekapati Vikram Reddy, BJP candidate G Bharat Kumar Yadav, BSP candidate Nanda Obulesu, SK Jaleel from Navarang Congress, SK Moinuddin from Indian Union Muslim League, Bandaru Ravi from HMRD, P Hazarathaiah from Janam Manam, SK Mahboob Basha from Anna YSR Congress and independent candidates B Ratnam, Ch Penchala Mohan, P Amarnath Reddy, R Malakondaiah, T Sasidhar Reddy and L Venkataiah are in the fray.

A total of 2,13,400 voters are going to exercise their franchise in all six mandals, including the municipal area of Atmakur town. According to data, there are 2,13,400 electors that include 1,06,021 male, 1,07,368 female and 11 third gender voters in the constituency.

As many as 1,339 polling personnel have been deployed and the district administration had completed distribution of 90.81 per cent of voter slips to electors till now and completed all necessary arrangements for polling on Thursday. District police made elaborate arrangements for the bypoll. They identified 131 vulnerable polling stations among 279 in the constituency. Around 1,500 police personnel were deployed as 11 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and AP Special Police battalions are deputed for election duty.

"Voters can exercise their right to vote in a free and fair manner. Sections 144 and 30 of the Police Act are in force at polling locations of the constituency. Thirty-eight mobile parties, six flying squads, six SST/check-posts, six MCC teams and 23 striking forces are in place for the bypoll. CCTV cameras and body-worn cameras have been used for preventing any untoward incidents," said SP Ch Vijaya Rao.

Out of 1,72,288 votes in the constituency, 2,08,990 votes were polled in 2019 general election in the Atmakur constituency with 82.44 per cent of polling. On Wednesday, district election officer (DEO) K V N Chakradhar Babu inspected the distribution centre at Andhra Engineering College in Nellorepalem and observed the medical camp and counter set up for micro-observers.

DEO and collector said they have made all arrangements to conduct polling smoothly in the constituency following Covid protocol. "Measures have been taken for disclosing the polling percentage every two hours. Web casting will be done at all critical polling stations from 7 am to 6 pm on Thursday," he added. Drinking water facility, toilets and ramps for the differently-abled have been arranged at all polling stations, he said.