Polling staff carry ballot boxes and other polling material from a distribution centre at Ambedkar Stadium in Karimnagar.
KARIMNAGAR: The stage is set for the Graduates and Teachers MLC constituencies’ elections to be held on Thursday. Polling will be held from 8 am to 4 pm.
Elaborate arrangements have been made for the elections to be held in 15 districts. Polling staff left for polling stations after collecting ballot boxes and other polling material from distribution centres on Wednesday.
While 56 candidates are in fray for the graduates constituency, there are 15 aspirants for the teachers segment. 3.55 lakh graduates and 27,088 teachers electorates have registered their votes.
Officials have established 773 polling stations in erstwhile Medak, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Adilabad districts. While 499 polling stations are earmarked for graduates, 247 are for teachers. 93 common polling stations have also been set up. Section 144 has been clamped in all polling stations limits.
In Karimnagar, a total of 451 polling staff including 103 presiding officers, 312 polling officers and 36 reserve staff were deployed. 36 micro-observers and 12 sector officers were also deployed. Collector Pamela Satpathy visited ballot boxes distribution and reception centre established at Ambedkar Stadium here.
Besides giving instructions to presiding officers and other poling staff, she discussed with route officers about route maps leading to various polling stations. She also instructed officials to educate polling staff about ballot box locking system and sealing again.