District administration releases standard operating procedure for next 72 hours for Parties

Mahabubnagar: The district administration led Returning Officer G Ravi Nayak soon after the annoucment of end of political campaining in Mahabubnagar, released a set of standard operating procedures for general public and political parties to be followed for the next 72 hours, until the final elections are completed on May 13.

Addressing a press conference in the collectorate on Saturday, district collector Ravi Nayak along with Mahabubangar SP Harshavardhan, said that the administration has taken all necessary measures to ensure that no one violates the election code of conduct for the next 72 hours. With the election campaining ended in the evening on Saturday, the district collector said that law and order will be strictly maintained and special efforts to curb the misuse of money power to attract voters by the political leaders will be taken very seriously and cases will be booked and immediate action will be taken against all such violators of election code conduct.

The collector said that in all the 7 assembly constituencies and in all major towns and cities Naka bandies have been set up and checking of all the commercial veheicles have been intensified at the inter-state-borders. Strict vigil is being maintained by thorough checking of vehicles. Interstate borders and inter district borders have been sealed and strict vigil is maintained to prevent infiltration of anti-social and disruptive elements.

The district administration has order ‘dry-day’ with no liquor flow for the next 48 hours across Palamuru region. Two companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) have been deployed at all the critical locations in the district. It is learnt that out of 1937 polling stations more than 890 have been identified as critical in the district and at all such polling stations the central armed police forces have been deployed to avoid any kind of untoward incidents during the elections.

As the political campaining and noise making came to a standstill on Saturday evening, the district adminsitraiton lead by district magistrate had issued section 144 of Cr. Pc, 1973 regarding ban on the unlawful assemblies and probation on holding of public meeting during the period of 48 hours until the polls are concluded. The political parties though allowed to do house to hosue campaigning, however not more than 5 persons are allowed to assemble at any point of time during their house visits.

For the next 48 hours permissions to loud speakers is banned completely and will be lifted only after the polls are concluded on May 13. No person or political party will display to the public any election matter by any means during the next 48 hours. No media is allowed to conduct any kind of exit poll or publicize by any means the results of exit polls during the 72 hour silence period. All advertisements if any in the print media will have to be publicized on the election day only after getting certification of MCMC.

The district collector informed that until last date of campaigning on Saturday an amout of Rs. 2.46 crores has been recovered in 178 cases, of which Rs. 2.19 crores of cash has been released under 148 cases after thorough verification. As many as 45069 liters worth Rs. 1.81 crore liquor has been seized by the administration in the past few days.

As many as 31 candidates from various political parties and independent candidates are contesting in the parliament elections in Mahabubnagar, two EVM units have been set up at every polling booth. On the final day of voting the voters are advised to take along with them a personal identity card along with voter’s slip to cast their vote. “I urge the people to cast their votes on the polling day. Voting is the right of every individual. It is our responsibility to chose our leader who can drive us to good hope in the future so I call upon every individual to cast their vote and make Indian democracy more stronger and vibrant,” said the district collector, while urging people to cast their vote.