The State Election Commission (SEC) has made all arrangements for the April 30 (Friday) polling to the seven urban local bodies (ULBs) including Warangal and Khammam Municipal Corporations and five wards in as many ULBs including GHMC.
A total of 1,306 candidates are in the fray for the ordinary elections to 247 wards in the seven ULBs as there is no polling in one ward in Khammam following unanimous election of a candidate for ward number 10.
Similarly, 19 candidates are in the fray for the casual elections to five wards in as many ULBs including GHMC. Candidates for four wards in Jalpally, Alampur, Metpally and Bellampally municipalities have also been elected unanimously.
A highest of 502 candidates are in the fray for 66 wards in the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation followed by 250 candidates for 59 wards in Khammam Municipal Corporation, 236 candidates for 43 wards in Siddipet, 122 candidates for 27 wards in Jadcherla, 93 in fray for 20 wards in Nakrekal, 47 in fray for 12 wards in Kothur and 66 in fray for 20 wards in Atchampet municipalities.
A meeting was held here on Wednesday to review the arrangements for polling by SEC C. Parthasarathi with District Collectors concerned and ULBs’ officials. He instructed all those involved in the election process to follow the COVID-19 guidelines scrupulously.
Officials of the SEC stated that a total of 11,59,112 electorate is expected to exercise their right to franchise in the seven ULBs going for ordinary elections and four other wards of Nalgonda, Gajwel, Parkal and Bodhan ULBs facing casual elections. A total of 1,539 polling stations have been set up for these 251 wards (247+4) and 9,809 polling personnel would be deployed to over see the exercise.
In association with the police, the election authorities have identified 676 polling stations in the 251 wards as problematic/critical and additional bandobust is being deployed there. The SEC authorities explained that a total of 28,810 face masks (2 per person), 14,505 face shields, 22,910 hand gloves, 18,455 sanitiser bottle (100 ml per person) and another 4,895 sanitiser bottles (200 ml each and two bottles per polling station) have been arranged for the polling exercise.
The SEC authorities have also claimed that over 92% of the electorate were also distributed the voter slips as of Wednesday.
