Collector reviews poll arrangements for panchayat polls in Chittoor dist

Chittoor: Collector Solomon Arokia Raj held a review meeting about the arrangements for the ensuing panchayat polls in Chittoor on Thursday. He expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by revenue, panchayat and police departments and is hopeful of peaceful polling. Arokia Raj said that very soon they are establishing a special call centre for the convenience of people to lodge any complaint if they have any about poll related issues. The officials concerned will attend to these problems soon after receiving the complaints, he said. Speaking to media persons, he said that already the revenue officials created awareness among the people at various villages about vote right and are hopeful of increase of poll percentage. As the entire nomination and withdrawal process went smoothly, they feel that the polling would be held in the manner. Already, the district administration has sought full cooperation from political parties and people for peaceful polling, he said. He said that the police and district administration has identified the hyper sensitive, sensitive and troublesome polling stations and are taking all steps in preventing violence. In Tirupati division, they identified 145 polling stations as hyper sensitive, 154 sensitive and 17 as troublesome and the police department is deploying armed police personnel in addition to the para-military forces, he said. In Tirupati division, polling will be held to 256 panchyats and 1376 wards on July 23, he said. For this they have established 1,858 polling stations in all 14 mandals, he said. The distribution of ballot papers would be started Friday onwards, he replied. To complete the polling in peaceful and satisfactory manner, 87 poll observers and 92 videographers were allotted specific duties and the installation of web cameras at 26 polling stations would be operated by engineering students, he said. In all, 109 members of striking force and special striking force would be available during the poll process, he said. Due to various reasons no election would be held in seven panchayats and the wards fall under its limits, the Collector replied.