Hyderabad, Apr 28 (IANS): The Telangana State Election Commission said it has made elaborate arrangements for the elections to be held in two municipal corporations and five municipalities on Friday.
Polling will also be held for the by-elections to four wards in four municipalities and one ward in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)
State Election Commissioner C. Parthasarathi on Wednesday held a review on the elections to the Greater Warangal and Khammam Municipal Corporations and Siddipet, Jadcherla, Atchampet Kothur, and Nakrekal municipalities
He instructed all the concerned to monitor the elections closely following the guidelines issued by the SEC in view of the Covid-19 and to conduct elections in safe and peaceful manner.
A total of 11,59,112 voters including 5,84,963 women are eligible to cast their votes in these elections.
As many as 1,307 candidates including 480 independents are in the fray in two corporations and five municipalities. Fourteen candidates are testing their political fortunes in four wards, while five candidates are in fray in Lingojiguda ward in GHMC.
The poll authorities have set up 1,539 polling stations and will deploy 9,809 polling personnel for smooth conduct of elections.
To ensure compliance of Covid-19 protocol, the authorities have procured 28,810 masks (two masks per person), 14,505 face shields, 22,910 hand gloves (two pairs per person, 18,455 bottles of hand sanitizer and 22,230 rings marked for queues of voters at polling stations indicating social distancing.
The SEC has also issued certain guidelines to be followed during conduct of elections. Every person shall wear mask during election related activity. The guidelines include sanitisers to be made available at the entry of polling station, social distancing to be maintained as per Covid-19 guidelines, use of ArogyaSetu App by all persons involved in elections, mandatory sanitisation of polling stations, marking to demonstrate social distancing for queue lines near polling stations, kit containing one mask, sanitizer and face shield to be given to every polling personnel, postal ballot for voters who tested Covid positive after April 15 and PPE kits to the staff carrying ballot boxes.