After the election schedule was confirmed by the State Election Commissioner (SEC), the district has gone into the election mode and is gearing up for the panchayat elections.
Speaking to the media after a video conference with the SEC, Chief Secretary, DGP and other senior officials, District Collector V. Vinay Chand said that as per the schedule the elections will be taken up in the 344 gram panchayats in Anakapalle division on February 9, in the first phase.
For Anakapalle division, 3,343 polling stations have been identified and of which 220 have been earmarked as problematic, based on past history. In total, across the district about 9,608 polling stations have been identified.
He said that nominations will be accepted from January 29 to 31 and based on SEC’s guidelines, the voters list has been finalised based on the list as on March 7, 2020.
The district will be going for panchayats polls in four phases with elections being held on February 9, 13, 17 and 21. The elections will be held in 968 panchayats, with Rekavanipalem being deleted from the list, as it is set to be merged into urban limits, said Mr. Vinay Chand. In the second phase elections will be held in Narsipatnam, Paderu in the third phase and Visakhapatnam in the fourth phase.
Talking about poll preparedness, he said that about 8,122 ballot boxes, which are under the control of 39 MPDOs, have been kept ready and over 15,000 personnel, including from the police, will be deployed for the polls.
After the first phase, the ballot boxes will be shifted to the third phase and after second phase the boxes will be shifted to the fourth phase.
The stationery is also getting ready and the returning officers and assistant returning officers have been identified. For the first phase, the returning officers and AROs will undergo a one-day training programme on Thursday.
In the first phase, one RO will be deputed for two or three panchayats and from the second phase one RO will be de deputed for each panchayat.
Depending on the quantum of vote at each polling station, the polling officers will be deputed ranging from 2 to 4 persons, in each station, said the District Collector.
He also informed to the media that about 515 micro observers drawn from various public sector units will be deputed during the election phases.
Talking about security arrangements, he said that a discussion has already been held with the district Superintendent of Police and about 640 sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling stations have been identified.
Mr. Vinay Chand said that all preparations for COVID safety is being taken care of and a proposal with requirements have been sent to the authorities concerned in the government.
