Nine candidates enter the poll fray on first day

Tirupati / Chittoor: DistrictElection Officers of Tirupati and Chittoor Pravin Kumar and Sagili Shan Mohan respectively, have released election notification on Thursday.

Speaking to the media on this occasion, Tirupati DEO said that nominations will be received from Thursday itself for the seven Assembly segments and one Lok Sabha constituency in each district. The last date for filing nominations is April 25.

Except on Sunday, the nominations will be received at the designated places for the Assembly constituencies and at Collectorates for the LS constituencies from 11 am to 3 pm.

The scrutiny will take place on April 26. Candidates can withdraw their papers before April 29 while the polling will be held on May 13.

The DEOs said that the returning officers of all constituencies have made arrangements to receive the nomination papers and advised the parties and contesting candidates to strictly follow the ECI guidelines. CC camera surveillance will be there at Returning officer’s chambers and entry points of candidates. The processions held by the candidates while coming for filing nominations will also be video recorded as per ECI guidelines.

All expenditure from now onwards will go into the personal accounts of candidates concerned.

The paid news reports published in newspapers will also go into the accounts of the candidates. Any publicity material should get the prior approval of the media monitoring and management committee (MCMC).

The DEO also made it clear that the candidates have to give an affidavit stating the criminal cases against them. The staff drafted for poll duties can apply for postal ballot during April 18 to 22. Arrangements are being made for them to cast their votes at the facilitation centres. All polling centres are equipped with basic infrastructure.

Replying to a question on the conduct of Ganga Jatara in Tirupati, DEO Pravin Kumar said that it can be held any time after May 15. It is not possible to give permission for Jatara before that date as tight security has to be provided for polling and shifting of ballot boxes to counting centres from all constituencies during May 13 and 14.

SP Krishna Kanth Patil, DRO Penchala Kishore and DIPRO Balakondaiah were present.

Meanwhile, TDP Chittoor MP candidate Daggumalla Prasada Rao, TDP Assembly candidates Challa Ramachandra Reddy (Punganur), Gali Bhanu Prakash (Nagari), Gurajala Jagan Mohan (Chittoor), Bojjala Sudheer Reddy (Srikalahasti), Pulivarthi Nani (Chandragiri) among others filed their nominations on the first day.

From ruling YSRCP, MC Vijayananda Reddy (Chittoor), N Venkate Gowda (Palamaner), Bhumana Abhinay Reddy (Tirupati) and others have also filed their papers on Thursday.