District Election Officers across Rayalaseema have embarked on an exercise to check the arrangements at polling stations for the coming general elections.
In Nellore, Collector M. Hari Narayanan said that the administration’s focus would be on ensuring better infrastructure at the polling stations. After visiting polling stations in three government school buildings in the city on Thursday, he inspected tents, drinking water supply and ceiling fans which are being arranged to provide relief to voters in sweltering heat. Other facilities like toilets, lighting and ramps for disabled people were also inspected.
Mr. Narayanan also directed officials to set up voter help desks in the buildings having a sizeable number of votes, to save the voters from confusion at the booths. He told the parties to secure prior permission ahead of taking out rallies and public meetings and instructed the officials to settle the complaints received over C-VIGIL and call centre (1950).
In Nandyal, Collector K. Srinivasulu told the district-level master trainers to teach the polling staff on deploying and repairing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to avoid last-minute hassles on the poll day.
He told the staff to read the user manual to understand the functioning of the ballot unit, control unit and VV-PAT and also clear the data after conducting mock poll in the presence of agents.
At a meeting of presiding officials held in Tirupati, Collector G. Lakshmisha instructed the polling staff to read the handbook and guidelines brought out by the Election Commission. “Several new features have been added by the ECI for this 2024 elections,” he said, adding that the mock poll in the presence of agents should not be avoided under any circumstances.
Election Returning Officer (Tirupati) Aditi Singh spoke on the importance of hands-on training for the presiding officers to ensure clarity.
Kadapa
Meanwhile, an integrated command control centre has been established at Kadapa Collectorate to monitor the poll process. Similarly, a ‘District Grievance and Complaints – Redressal Cell’ has been formed to screen and act upon the complaints received through C-VIGIL and 1950.
