Tirupati: Pilgrim city goes to polls after a gap of 19 years

Tirupati: All arrangements have been made for polls to Tirupati Municipal Corporation on Wednesday. The temple city is going to witness civic body polls after a gap of 19 years. It has been upgraded as a municipal corporation in 2007.

The distribution of ballot papers to various centres has been completed and election staff left for respective polling stations. Additional Election Authority P S Girisha, urban SP Venkatappala Naidu and RDO K Narasa Reddy are jointly working to ensure the smooth conduct of polls to Tirupati Municipal Corporation.

To monitor the election situation across the city, the MCT has set up one command control centre. At this centre, online live webcasting and CC cameras facility has been provided. Following a shift system, police and municipal officials have been posted to watch live updates at polling stations from the control room.

On Tuesday, municipal officials distributed ballot papers, boxes, ink and other election related material to polling officials at SV Arts College distribution centre in the city. The polling duties were taken up beginning from 7 am on Tuesday.

There are total 50 divisions in Tirupati Municipal Corporation. The election was declared unanimous in 22 wards. The election was stopped in one ward by the SEC following allegations of forgery. The polling will be held for 28 wards and the officials have set up 162 polling stations for the purpose. About 1,40,000 voters are expected to exercise their franchise in 27 wards.

Returning officers inspected the arrangements at the polling stations on Tuesday. All the polling officers and assistant polling officers left with election material to polling stations in the evening in APSRTC buses arranged by election officials.

With regard to maintenance of law and order, Tirupati urban SP Venkatappala Naidu alerted the all DSPs and CIs on election duty to visit vulnerable polling stations in the city and make the necessary security arrangements. The SP said that police installed CCTV cameras at every hyper-sensitive and sensitive polling stations.

Police set up striking force, road opening parties and special striking force teams to reach the polling stations within 2 to 3 minutes in case of any emergency to set right the situation at polling stations. After completion of the election, the ballot boxes will be collected at SV Arts College and they will be preserved till March 14, on the day of counting.

The polling will also be held for Chittoor Municipal Corporation and Madanapalle, Puttur and Nagari municipalities.

It may be noted that the YSRCP candidates were declared winners unanimously in Punganur municipality. Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy represents Punganur in the State Assembly.

The SEC is not holding elections to Kuppam and Srikalahasti municipalities due to legal and technical reasons.