YSR district geared up for first phase of Panchayat elections

All arrangements are completed in Kadapa division ahead of the first phase of Panchayat elections to be held on July 23. The elections are slated on July 23, 27 and 31 across Andhra Pradesh. In Kadapa division, as many as 1,648 candidates from 217 villages are in the fray for the post of Sarpanchs.

Collector K Sasidhar said that tasks like appointing and training polling personnel, allocation of duties to them, and distribution of voter slips were completed. He said reply from government was awaited over a proposal requesting assigning magisterial powers to zonal officers. An election control unit and a media centre were established at Kadapa to monitor the proceedings, the collector said. Nineteen border check-posts are set up to check inflow of illicit liquor and other unlawful things, besides formation of ten mobile vigilance teams, Sasidhar said.

 So far, six vehicles transporting liquor were seized and cash of Rs 5.10 lakh, 610 saris were seized during raids conducted at various places. He said as many as 288 belt shops (unauthorised liquor shops) were closed and 22 cases lodged against 23 people. He said 450 students of premier International Institute of Technology (IIIT), Hyderabad are roped in to facilitate web-casting in sensitive and hypersensitive villages. As many as 210 micro-observers are also employed to conduct free and fair polls.
Meanwhile, cash worth Rs 90 lakh was seized in the neighbouring Krishna district ahead of the elections, said SP J. Prabhakara Rao. He said that investigation was on to trace the trail of the cash. Police booked as many as 30 cases and arrested history-sheeters to ensure free and fair conduct of elections on Tuesday. In Krishna district, the first phase will be held in Nuzvid division only. In this division, 616 candidates are in the fray for 246 posts up for grabs for Sarpanchs and 5228 candidates for 2301 posts of ward members in the first phase.