16.37 lakh people to exercise franchise in Eluru dist

Eluru: All the arrangements have been made for the polling to be held on Monday. A total of 1,744 polling centres have been set up for 16.37 lakh people to exercise their right to vote.

Collector Prasanna Venkatesh inspected the Eluru Assembly Constituency Distribution Centre established at Govt Junior College, Kotadibba here on Sunday.

Speaking to media, he said that polling will be held from 7 am at 1,744 polling centres in seven Assembly constituencies of the district.

All the constituencies in the district have been divided into 193 sectors and the process of distribution of EVMs, VVPATs along with legal documents and other election materials to the respective polling centres through the distribution centres set up in the main mandal centre of the respective constituencies has started on Sunday morning.

As many as 20,000 personnel including 4,000 police personnel have been appointed for the management of election duties. RTC has also provided bus facilities for the election personnel to reach the distribution centres for the seven constituencies.

The concerned team will reach the polling centre in the evening and arrangements will be made at the polling centre. The related layout has also been provided to them. The mock poll will be conducted on Monday at 5.30 am and polling will start from 7.00 am.

One to two EVMs will be made available to the sector officers to solve any technical problems in the EVMs immediately. If such a problem occurs even during the mock poll, another EVM will be set up immediately in its place.

Distance of polling stations in Polavaram Assembly constituency and two spare EVMs are being made available to the sector officers there. Three officers will be available for each constituency to resolve technical issues. VHF sets have been installed in 13 polling centres that do not have phone facilities under ITDA. Besides, a micro observer has been appointed and a videography facility is provided.

There are 415 problematic polling centres in the district and live webcasting has been set up. Boat facility has been provided to the election personnel as they have to cross Godavari river to Kakisnoor village of Kukkunur mandal in Polavaram constituency. Shamianas, drinking water facility and health camp are also being set up at the polling centres.

Similarly, 1,100 wheelchairs are being set up for differently-abled people to exercise their right to vote. Live webcasting has been set up to observe the polling process in 1069 polling centres out of 1744 polling centres in the district.

As many as 15,615 employees availed postal ballots. He said that 896 people exercised their right to vote through home voting. A total of 150 RTC and 350 private vehicles were arranged for the polling staff to go to the respective polling centres. There are 7 women polling centres in 7 Assembly constituencies in the district, two special centres for youth in Polavaram and Chintalapudi constituencies, Eluru and Denduluru for differently-abled people have been set up.

“Every vote is important, Every single vote is valuable and it is the foundation of democracy,” collector said. He clarified that exercising the right to vote is the responsibility of every citizen. Every voter should go to the polling station on Monday and fulfil their duty to cast their vote. He said that more than 2,000 SVEEP programmes and Kalajatas have already been organised across the district on the use of voting rights.