50% of polling stations to have webcasting facility

State Chief Secretary Dr KS Jawahar Reddy has stated that necessary steps are being taken to conduct the general and Assembly elections in a free, peaceful and fair manner. DGP KV Rajendranath Reddy and Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena reviewed the preparations for the election on Wednesday. In particular, aspects such as cyber security, IT, SVEEP, law and order, communication plan, complaint redressal, voter helpline and minimum facilities required in polling centres were reviewed.
Speaking on the occasion, the CS reiterated that all necessary arrangements are being made to conduct the elections in a completely free and fair manner. There are 46,165 polling centres across the State and at least 50 percent of them will be provided with webcasting facility. The CS stated that the polling centres with webcasting are directly connected with the control rooms of the Central Election Commission and the State Chief Electoral Officer’s office to continuously monitor the polling pattern.
CS Jawahar Reddy said that since January till now, goods worth Rs 176 crore, cash to the tune of Rs 78 crore, expensive goods worth Rs 41 crore and various drugs worth Rs 30 crore have been seized. In the last four days after the Model Code of Conduct came into force, various inspection teams seized cash, liquor and other goods worth Rs 3.39 crore.
They include Rs 80 lakh in cash, liquor worth Rs 60 lakh and drugs worth Rs 29 lakh. The CS said that 121 check-posts including 60 integrated check-posts at State borders and other areas are being made available to implement the election code of conduct more strictly.
During the meeting, DGP KV Rajendra Nadh Reddy said that for election bandobast, 1.50 lakh State policemen, 522 companies of State Armed Reserve Police, 465 companies of Central Armed Reserve Police and home guards from the Atates of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka will be appointed for the conduct of elections. The DGP said that necessary measures will be taken for maintaining law and order and security in the elections.
Mukesh Kumar Meena, during a PowerPoint presentation on election preparation, said that 4,09,41,182 voters in the State will exercise their franchise in the ensuing elections. A total of 46,165 polling centres are being set up across the State. As many as 12,683 vehicles will be required for security personnel and 13,322 vehicles for polling personnel. Also, 175 Assembly, 25 Parliament Returning Officers, 829 Assembly and 209 Parliament AROs, and 5,067 Sectoral Officers will be required for conducting the polls. As many as 18,961 micro observers, 55,269 presiding officers, 2,48,814 polling officers, 46,165 booth level officers and 416 district level nodal officers are also required and are ready.
CEO Meena stated that the State-level master trainers, district-level master trainers and Assembly-level master trainers have already been trained.