Khammam all set for LS polls, 16.31 lakh voters to cast vote: Collector Gautham

CP, Sunil Dutt said that out of 1459 polling stations in Khammam district there were 209 critical polling stations in 86 locations and Central Armed Reserve Forces have been deployed at such polling stations.

Khammam: All arrangements were in place for polling on May 13 for Khammam Lok Sabha elections, informed district Collector and returning officer VP Guatham.

He along with Commissioner of Police Sunil Dutt held a meeting with the media and representatives of political parties on election arrangements and silence period here on Saturday. Polling in Khammam would be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm, he said.

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As many as 1896 polling stations have been set up for seven Assembly segments under the Khammam Parliament segment. There were 16.31 lakh voters, of which 7.87 lakh were male, 8. 43 lakh were female and 130 were transgender, 30,389 PwD voters and 10,318 senior citizens.

He said that 27 FST, 21 SST, 31 MCC teams, 203 sector officers and six State border check posts have been set up in seven assembly segments besides five additional FSTs have been put on surveillance since Friday.

Senior citizens and PwD voters would be provided transportation for voting with a special queuing line. 15,000 people have applied for the transport facility. The distribution of voter slips has been completed and 2728 people voted through postal ballot using home voting facility,

Two reserve EVMs were made available with each sector officers to use if there was any problem anywhere. Counting centre has been set up at Sri Chaitanya Engineering College at Ponnekal in Khammam Rural mandal.

So far freebies worth Rs 86.26 lakh, Rs 3.47 crore unaccounted cash, Rs 1.06 crore worth liquor and cannabis worth Rs 24.39 lakh seized during inspections at check posts, Gautham informed. He appealed to young voters to exercise their right to vote.

CP, Sunil Dutt said that out of 1459 polling stations in Khammam district there were 209 critical polling stations in 86 locations and Central Armed Reserve Forces have been deployed at such polling stations.

As many as 2391 policemen, six companies of CIPF forces and 17 sections TSSP force would be on security duty. 20 special teams were set up for immediate intervention in case of law and order issues. Section 144 would be in force during the silence period 48 hours before polling, he added.