'Official machinery ready to facilitate free, fair poll'

Hyderabad: Special Election Observer for Law and Order K K Sharma appealed to all political parties and candidates to cooperate with the officials to facilitate free and fair elections.

He held a special review meeting on Saturday with GHMC and top police officials, Returning Officers and other Nodal Officers. Later he convened a meeting with the leaders of various political parties.

Speaking on the occasion, he expressed satisfaction over successful conducting of State Assembly elections recently. While making a special mention of communal disturbances, which once upon a time tarnished the image of the city, he commended the cooperation of all political parties as well as the efforts of official machinery ensuring peace for the last last 10-15 years.

He noted that so far the functioning of flying squads, static surveillance teams, MCC implementation committees and others was commendable and even the preparedness of the entire official machinery was also up to the mark. 470 ballot units required additionally: Dana Kishore

Hyderabad DEO (District Election Officer) Dana Kishore, while briefing the arrangements made in Hyderabad district, explained to Sharma that he had sent a requisition to CEO asking for 470 Ballot Units (BUs) in addition to the existing ones.

He said that while one set of BU was sufficient in each PS in Hyderabad PC, for Secunderabad 170 BUs are needed to meet the requirement. First level checking is to be taken up immediately after receiving it, he added.

He also said that the internal test was also conducted to presiding officers for increasing their efficiency in conducting the polls.