Basic facilities provided in 1459 polling stations in Khammam: Collector

The Collector along with Commissioner of Police Sunil Dutt addressed the media on Wednesday after inaugurating the media centre at the Zilla Parishad meeting hall on the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections.

Khammam: As the Lok Sabha election notification would be released on April 18, a help desk would start functioning at the collectorate from April 8 to provide ECI nomination forms for filing nominations, informed district Collector VP Gautham.

The Collector along with Commissioner of Police Sunil Dutt addressed the media on Wednesday after inaugurating the media centre at the Zilla Parishad meeting hall on the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections.

---

Contesting candidates should have the right to vote anywhere in the country and the proposers should have the right to vote in their respective constituencies and they should check whether they have the right to vote or not, Gautham said.

Although there was an opportunity to register as a voter till April 14, one should register as a voter immediately.

On February 5 as many as 52, 987 Electors Photo Identification (EPIC) cards were distributed and 54, 866 cards were given for printing.

Steps have been taken to provide basic facilities in all the 1459 polling stations in the district and it helps to improve minimum facilities in government schools, where polling stations were set up. Construction of bathroom cum toilets has been taken up in 600 polling stations.

In view of the intense summer heat, arrangements have been made for drinking water and shade. Measures would be taken to issue election duty certificates to the government employees who were on election duty, the Collector noted.

As part of training for the polling staff, as many as 3, 620 PO and APOs were given hands-on training on the management of EVMs.

The second round of training would be conducted in the last week of April. The first phase randomisation of ballot units, control units and VVPATs for 1459 polling stations in five Assembly segments in Khammam Parliament constituency was completed.

A control room was set up in the district headquarters to resolve the complaints, Gautham informed. The CP, Dutt said that 12 inter-state check posts, 15 SSTs and 15 FSTs were set up in the district and inspections were being conducted by police.

54 cases were registered so far, 359 liters of liquor, one kg ganja and Rs 77.10 lakh cash have been seized. No law and order complaints have been received.