About 24,765 men and officers from various government departments will be deployed for election duties at 9,556 polling stations which have been readied for the panchayat elections in the four divisions of the district – Anakapalle, Narsipatnam, Paderu and Visakhapatnam.
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The arrangements were discussed at a review meeting held by State Election Commissioner, here on Tuesday.
According to a release from the district administration, as many as 3,306 polling stations have been identified in Anakapalle division where the first phase of elections are going to be held on February 9.
As many as 3,939 ballot boxes were given to this division. Similarly, 3,647 ballot boxes have been allotted to Narsipatnam divison, where the second phase of elections will be held on February 13. The officials set up 2,604 polling stations in this division.
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Similarly, Paderu where the third phase of elections will have about 2,446 polling stations for which 3,364 ballot boxes are going to be allotted. The officials have identified 1,200 polling stations to organise gram panchayat elections in Vizag division and will be allotting 1,850 ballot boxes.
The ballot boxes used in the first phase of election will be shifted for the third phase. Similarly, the boxes used in second phase will be again used in the fourth phase. The officials said that all the ballot boxes were distributed to mandals organising phase I and II elections and all the boxes are in good condition.
By February 1, the officials have appointed 8,642 polling officers and assistant polling officers, and they will be assisted by 964 polling staff. The district officials have also appointed Returning Officers and Assistant Returning officers to all the divisions. Training classes are being conducted at every division at least for two times.
According to the officials, they have arranged around 20 lakh ballot papers.
A total of 962 counting centres including one in every gram panchayat were arranged. Control rooms have been set up for to implementation of Model Code of Conduct and also to receive general complaints related to elections. Monitoring teams were formed to check election related issues in division, mandal and village levels. Static surveillance teams and flying squads were formed constituting Deputy Tehsildars and police personnel to check illegal distribution of money, liquor and to keep a watch on anti-social activities.
The officials have arranged about 2,556 sanitisers, 49,530 masks, 24,765 gloves, 3,342 thermal scanners and 1,400 PPE kits for the staff in view of the elections.