NTR District Collector and District Election Officer (DEO) S. Dilli Rao said that all arrangements have been made for ‘incident-free polling’ in the district.
Around 5,000 police personnel would be deployed on polling day, May 13 (Monday), in the NTR Police Commissionerate, said Police Commissioner, P.H.D. Ramakrishna.
At a joint press conference held here on Saturday, Mr. Rao said that polling will be conducted from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday. Distribution of polling material, over 13,000 staff, videographers and other personnel would be arranged by 3 p.m. on May 12 (Sunday), he said.
Medical camps, availability of ORS packets, drinking water, chairs, barricades, power supply and other arrangements are being made at all 1,792 polling stations in the district, he added.
Mr. Ramakrishna said that Section 144 has been imposed at all polling stations, including 332 critical polling booths. In all, 400 striking forces, 60 static and 48 flying squads have been deployed for polling. “Mobile phones are strictly prohibited in the booths. Voters are requested to not bring their phones, and if carried, they should be handed over to the staff before entering the polling station,” he added.
Krishna district
Superintendent of Police (SP), Adnan Nayeem Asmi, said that 10,026 persons, including those involved in poll-related cases and other criminals, were arrested and 51 Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) were executed in the district.
“Services of ex-servicemen, retired police officers, and NSS would be utilised for deploying bandobust at the 1,686 polling stations in the district. Police registered 2,611 cases,” the SP explained at a press conference at Machilipatnam on Saturday.
Police stepped up vigil to prevent distribution and freebies and instructions have been given to track the movements of criminals. Tight security has been arranged at the 332 critical polling stations, Mr. Asmi said.
All the liquor outlets were closed by 5 p.m. on Saturday, and the shops would be closed till 48 hours. Stern action would be taken against the violators, the SP warned.
