A total of 4,14,01,887 voters, who include 2,03,39,851 male, 2,10,58,615 female and 3,421 third gender, are going to exercise their franchise across Andhra Pradesh on May 13 to elect 175 MLAs and 25 Lok Sabha members as a part of the fourth phase of the general elections. All arrangements have been made for the same by the Election Commission of India.
Addressing the media here at the Secretariat on Saturday, Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena said that the polling would be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in 169 Assembly constituencies.
In the remaining six Assembly constituencies, the polling would conclude by 5 p.m. at Palakonda (ST), Kurupam (ST), Salur (ST) and by 4 p.m. at Araku Valley (ST), Paderu (ST) and Ramapachodavaram (ST), where there had been a threat of LWE activities in the past.
The Silence Period of 48 hours from 6 p.m. on May 11 would end at 6 p.m. on May 13 in 169 Assembly constituencies. In three constituencies, it would end at 4 pm on May 13 and at 5 p.m. in three other constituencies.
Mr. Mukesh Kumar Meena said that ‘dry day’ had been declared during the Silence Period, and no shop would be allowed to open for sale of liquor during the period.
Orders under Section 144 of the CrPC had been issued during the Silence Period regarding ban on unlawful assemblies and prohibition on holding of public meetings. No loudspeaker shall be permitted during the Silence Period.
All political functionaries and party workers, who had been brought from outside the constituency for campaign purpose and who were not voters of the constituency, shall leave the constituency immediately after campaign period ended, he made it clear.
The CEO further said that during the Silence Period, hotels, lodges, community halls would be kept on watch so that no outsider stayed there to cast vote. He added that the bulk SMSs of political parties were prohibited during the period.
Publicity through cinema, television or similar modes, including opinion polls, were prohibited during the Silence Period, he said.
He further said that on the day of elections and pre-poll day, political advertisement could be published in the print media with pre-certification from the State or district Media Monitoring and Certification Committee (MCMC).
Mr. Meena said they had directed that no restriction be imposed on the voters coming to Andhra Pradesh from the neighbouring States, or within the State, during the period up to the poll, and should there be any issue, a complaint could be made to the District Control Room of the district concerned, or at the toll-free number ‘1950’.
Mr. Meena also said that instruction had been issued to put in place special arrangements such as shades, water, seating and separate queue line, ORS packets, and medical staff at the polling station to deal with harsh weather and heat stroke conditions.
He said that prior clearance of the names of polling agents would not be insisted upon. A polling agent should preferably be from the same polling station, or in case of non-availability, from the neighbouring polling station.
The CEO added that no electioneering within 200 metres of the polling station on the day of elections would be allowed. Election booths could be set up by the candidate beyond 200 metres of the polling station with a table and chairs if required.
Public transport buses, taxies, three-wheeler scooters, and rikshaws for carrying passengers to railway stations, bus stands, and hospitals, and journeys that could not be avoided should not be disturbed, he said.
No person, except the observer and authorised election or police official, would be allowed to carry or use mobile or wireless sets within 100 metres of the polling station.
Voter slips on plain white papers, without the names of candidate, symbol or party name, would be allowed.
Security persons attached to any person could come within 100 metres, but would not be allowed inside the polling booth, except for Z+category persons for whom one security person could go inside the booth with one gun shield arm, he added.
