Make advance arrangements for local body polls, Collector tells officials

Tirupati: District Collector Dr S Venkateswar directed officials to ensure that the upcoming local body elections are conducted in a transparent, impartial and peaceful manner in accordance with election rules.

The Collector held a video conference on Thursday with the ZP Deputy CEO, District Panchayat Officer and municipal commissioners to review preparations for the elections. Superintendent of Police L Subba Rayudu, Joint Collector R Govinda Rao and Tirupati Municipal Corporation Commissioner M Jayakrishna also participated in the review.

The Collector directed officials to work in coordination and complete all arrangements in advance for the municipal, MPTC, ZPTC and gram panchayat elections within the prescribed schedule. He said the Joint Collector would act as the district-level coordinator for the local body elections.

As the Mayor and Chairperson posts in municipal elections would be filled through direct elections, the Collector asked officials concerned to undergo special training. He stressed the need to prevent false information and misinformation being circulated on social media. The Model Code of Conduct must be strictly implemented from the time it comes into force and elections should be conducted in a transparent and impartial manner.

SP L Subba Rayudu directed all departments to work together to ensure peaceful and free elections. He asked officials to identify sensitive and hypersensitive areas and important routes at the field level and prepare a final list.

He also directed officials to establish control rooms at district and sub-divisional levels and make adequate security arrangements for dispatch, deposit and strong rooms. Additional personnel required for election duties should be coordinated from departments such as Excise, Forest, RTA, NCC and NSS, he said. Special WhatsApp groups should be formed for quick communication among officials, and training and orientation programmes should be conducted. The SP called for close monitoring of false information and rumours, particularly in sensitive areas such as Tirupati. He said polling stations would have extensive videography and CCTV surveillance. Those violating election rules or disturbing law and order would face strict legal action, he warned.

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