Poll arrangements in place for second phase

• 85,000 forces to be deployed
• EC to act against officials for deletion of names from lists

Hyderabad: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Bhanwarlal said here on Saturday that he would inquire into the payment of amounts to the Pranahita-Chevella Project contractor. Addressing the media, the CEO said that he had received the file relating to the payment. He asked the government not to make any payment till the elections were over.

He would ask officials concerned to find out if report of payment were correct. ‘We received several complaints from different persons on deletion of their names from the voter list though they did not change residence in the last 10 years. People can check their names in the voter list through the EC website. The EC would take action against erring officials who deleted names from the voter list,’ the CEO explained.

Asked about the second phase of elections in the State, Bhanwarlal stated that elaborate arrangements were made. As many as 272 companies of Central forces and 85,000 other forces would be deployed in 40,708 polling stations for the smooth conduct of elections on May 7. ‘The polling will be held from 7 am to 4 pm in Araku and Paderu Assembly segments and 7 am to 5 pm in Kurupam, Paravtipuram, Saluru, Rampachodavaram, Pedakurapadu, Vinukonda, Gurajala and Macharla segments.

The polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm in the remaining 165 Assembly segments,’ he explained. On complaints against polling officials who did not allow voters even though they had valid slips, he said the EC would direct all returning officials to strictly adhere to its instructions.

The EC would ensure that such incidents were not repeated in the second phase. As many as 3,67,62,975 voters would exercise their franchise in the second phase. He said EVMs manufactured by BHEL were sent to ten districts, EVMs made by ECIL to three districts including Krishna, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam.