Focus on hyper-sensitive, sensitive villages in Gudur: Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu

Nellore: Nellore District Collector K V N Chakradhar Babu directed the officials to focus on hyper-sensitive villages in the Gudur division for conducting polls in a fair manner on February 17. He visited Kota, Chillakur, Chittamuru, and Gudur mandals on Wednesday along with the officials for observing conditions of polling stations.

He said the elections are being conducted for 214 Gram Panchayats and 1,924 wards in the division and asked the officials to focus on sensitive and hyper-sensitive villages deploying additional forces for avoiding any untoward instances. He said they have to prepare for counting of votes immediately after completing the polling and asked them to check for accommodation facility at wedding halls, private buildings, and other places for conducting the counting in case there are no adequate facilities. Ballot boxes to be taken care of and have to arrange police escort while shifting them from the polling station to the counting place, he said.

The Collector said that 4,507 stage-1 and 2 officers, APOs, zonal officials, route officers, micro-observers, and others are being deployed. Webcasting is also being arranged at 96 polling stations and asked the officials to utilise services of reserve polling staff members for smooth conduct of polls in the division.

Gudur Sub Collector R Gopala Krishna said they had identified 224 hyper-sensitive and 545 sensitive places among a total of 1,924 polling stations in the entire division. He said the deadline for filing nominations was over and withdrawals would be allowed on Thursday and announce the final list of candidates afterwards. He said they were taking all measures to conduct the polls in a foolproof manner.

DSP B Rajagopala Reddy, Circle Inspector K Narasimha Rao, Tahsildars Geethavani, Ramadevi, and others were present.