Recheck ballot papers before giving for printing: Collector Shashanka

Karimnagar: District Collector K Shashanka ordered the officials concerned to recheck the ballot papers before giving them for printing for the upcoming municipal elections. Along with Commissioner of Police VB Kamalasan Reddy, he held a review meeting with the nodal officers, Municipal Commissioners and coordinators at the Collectorate conference hall in Karimnagar on Thursday.

Speaking at the meeting, the Collector suggested the officials to check whether the ballot papers are printed as per valid nominations or not and distribute photo identity voter slips to the voters through booth level officers (BLOs) by Friday (January 17) evening. Prepare the list of absentees, shifted and deceased voters by January 18 and hand over the details of such voters ward wise to the candidates, who are in race to contest in the municipal elections and inform them the details of counting centres and counting dates and time to them,he added.

"The voter slips, which were not distributed by January 18, must be handed over to the returning officers concerned and take necessary steps for arrangement of vehicles to all municipalities by January 20." There will be a second phase of training session to the polling staff on January 17 and 18, to which all must attend without fail, ordered Collector K Shashanka.

He told the police officials to lodge cases against the candidates and parties, who violate the election code of conduct. He issued orders for closure of liquor shops present under the four municipalities in which the elections are going to be held from January 20 to January 22 along with the belt shops.

Police Commissioner VB Kamalasan Reddy said that tight security arrangements were made in view of the municipal elections in all the four municipalities in which the elections are going to be held on January 22. Bind-over cases were lodged against 10,000 people and shifted them to jail to prevent any untoward incidents in view of the ongoing municipal elections, he added.

Joint Collector Shyam Prasad Lal, ACP Chandra Mohan, nodal officers, ZP CEO Venkat Madhava Rao, DAO Sridhar, district cooperative officer Manoj Kumar, excise superintendent Chandrashekar, DRDO Venkateshwar Rao, MEPMA Project Director Pavan Kumar and DCPO Dasharatham were present along with others.