All set for polling

Warangal: Arrangements were completed for the smooth conduct of elections in Warangal and Mahabubabad Parliamentary constituencies on Thursday (April 11) with designated staff already reaching their respective polling stations with equipment, Returning Officer (RO) Prashanth Jeevan Patil said.

In Warangal Parliament Constituency (PC), there are a total of 16,66,770 voters with male voters being 8,29,534, female voters numbering 8,37,054 and others 182. There are 1,859 polling stations in 674 different locations spread across seven Assembly segments under Warangal PC.

Patil said that they have deployed Central Armed forces in 217 polling stations, which were identified as critical. He said that seven companies of central armed forces drawn

in from Bihar, Jharkhand and

Punjab have been deployed in addition to 2,000 police personnel for the election duty.

Referring to polling stations in the Maoist-infested areas, Patil said there would be multi-pronged security arrangements with special parties patrolling the region.

"The Election Commission (EC) has engaged choppers in case of exigency for the smooth conduct of polling," the RO said.

He said that the administration is in constant touch with Bhupalpally Superintendent of Police R Bhaskaran and closely monitoring the law and order situation. He said that administration had seized Rs 38.57 lakh unaccounted cash, 1,685 litres liquor, 40,000 door stickers, three kilogrammes of ganja and 50 bags of gutka during the checks as part of model code of conduct.

Meanwhile, seven apiece Sakhi,

exclusively for women, and model polling stations have become centre of attraction as they are all spruced with colourful balloons, selfie

points etc. The administration has made arrangements to invite voters with roses.

The authorities also made extensive arrangements for the smooth conduct of polls in Mahabubabad PC.