Collector PS Pradyumna aims at registering 90% voting in ensuing polls

Tirupati: The District Election Officer and Collector PS Pradyumna intends to make the district as the best in conducting forthcoming general elections with all-round efforts.

By conducting series of meetings for returning officers (ROs), assistant returning officers, supervisors and booth level officers (BLOs) at different places, the Collector was trying to impress upon them on the need for conducting free and fair polls by taking foolproof measures.

The meetings held at Madanapalle, Palamaner, Chittoor and Tirupati on Thursday and Friday. He stressed on the need to create awareness among voters in exercising their franchise freely and fairly and increasing the voting percentage.

All ROs should appoint constituency-level nodal officers in the line of district nodal officers. Voter awareness camps should be held in all villages and municipal divisions to bring awareness among people in casting their vote through EVMs and the functioning of VVPATs, he said.

These camps must be completed between February 17 to 20. Daily reviews will be done on the reports given by the district-level nodal officers by conducting a meeting with them at grievance cell hall in the Collectorate.

The district recorded 79 per cent polling during last elections which the Collector wishes to make 90 per cent this time. For this a programme called ‘Vote Chittoor Vote’ was introduced under which awareness will be created among voters in a big way.

He made it clear that no one can tamper electronic voting machines (EVMs) and through VVPATs voters can be able to know to whom they have voted. BLOs should clear all doubts among people regarding EVMs and they will be helpful in conducting transparent elections.

He said that in the district there are 30.25 lakh voters and 3,800 BLOs and each BLO will get about 25 claims which they need to securitise meticulously with proofs before this month end to prepare the final list. Any deletions in the voters list can be made by Collector only while additions or changes can be done with the approval of ROs and the final voters list.

Saying that, election notification can come anytime this month end or early next month, he made it clear that all officials including him should remember that they work under the purview of election commission. Conducting fair polls by having fool proof voter list and most convenient polling station is necessary everywhere.