Over 9.66 lakh voters to cast vote in Kothagudem, polling from 7 am to 4 pm

Of the 9, 66, 439 voters, there were 4, 71, 745 male and 4, 94, 560 female voters while there were 44 transgender voters.

Kothagudem: Over 9.66 lakh voters were going to cast their vote in five Assembly constituencies in the district on Thursday.

Of the 9, 66, 439 voters, there were 4, 71, 745 male and 4, 94, 560 female voters while there were 44 transgender voters. The district administration has set up 1, 098 polling stations in 701 locations. 181 polling stations were located in urban areas and 917 in rural areas.

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288 polling stations were situated in areas affected by left wing extremism (LWE). There were 320 critical polling stations. CCTV cameras were installed inside 659 polling stations and 269 CCTV cameras were installed outside for webcasting to monitor the polling process.

District Collector Dr. Priyanka Ala speaking to the media here on Wednesday informed that 2398 ballot units, 1544 control units and 1540 voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPATs) systems were readied for conducting the polls.

As many as 1, 313 polling officers, equal number of assistant polling officers, 2626 other polling officers and 306 micro observers would be engaged in conducting the polling process. Since the district was affected by LWE polling would be conducted from 7 am to 4 pm.

In Kothagudem, Yellandu, Bhadrachalam, Pinapaka and Aswaraopet 95 candidates were in the poll fray including 47 independent candidates. 2, 174 district police besides Central security forces were on election duty in the district.

750 wheel chairs were arranged to assist persons with disabilities (PwDs). 25 women polling stations, 27 model polling stations, and five polling stations each for youth and PwDs were set up in the five constituencies.

Dr. Ala visited model polling stations in Yellandu town and inspected arrangements. 15 ECIL engineers were available to rectify technical issues that might take place during the polling. Auto rickshaws and attendants were ready to transport aged, pregnant and PwD voters to polling stations.