All set for polling in Khammam, over 12 lakh voters to cast their vote

Khammam district administration has made elaborate arrangements for conducting polling in 1,456 polling stations in 822 locations

Khammam: All is set for polling on Thursday in five Assembly constituencies in Khammam district where 12,16,796 electors were going to exercise their franchise.

The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for conducting polling in 1,456 polling stations in 822 locations. There were 403 urban polling stations and 1052 rural polling stations. 390 polling stations were identified as critical polling stations.

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CCTV cameras were installed at all the polling stations for webcasting and at 526 polling stations CCTV cameras were installed outside the polling stations. Over 10, 000 officials including 6,900 polling personnel were engaged in election duties.

As many as 147 candidates, including 67 independent candidates were in the poll fray in Khammam (39 candidates), Palair (42 candidates), Wyra (16 candidates), Madhira (22 candidates) and Sathupalli (28 candidates) Assembly constituencies in the district.

In Khammam, BRS candidate, sitting MLA Puvvada Ajay Kumar is fighting against Congress candidate Tummala Nageswara Rao to retain his seat. In Madhira, BRS candidate ZP chairman Lingala Kamal Raju is fighting against CLP leader, sitting MLA Bhatti Vikramarka.

In a triangular contest in Palair, BRS nominee, sitting MLA Kandala Upender Reddy is fighting against Congress’ Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and CPM’s Tammineni Veerabhadram to retain his seat.

Of the total electors, there were 5,89,165 male and 6,27,553 female voters. There were 78 transgender, 154 NRI, 684 service, 25,807 PwD voters, 49,396 voters in the age group of 18-19 years and 16,782 voters above 80 years of age.

As many as 3,790 ballot units (BUs) and 1,817 control units (CUs), which were part of each electronic voting machine (EVM) along with 2,035 voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPATs) systems were allotted to the five constituencies for conducting polls.

District Collector VP Gautham and Commissioner of Police Vishnu S Warrier have inspected polling material distribution centres in different constituencies. They told the polling personnel to conduct the polls in accordance with the Election Commission guidelines without any scope for errors.

Warrier informed that additional Central security forces were deployed at critical polling stations. He held a meeting with police officers and told them to ensure smooth conduct of polling.