Elaborate arrangements made for polls: Prakasam Collector

District Collector AS Dinesh Kumar has said that all arrangements have been made for polling in the Prakasam district peacefully on May 13.
Addressing a press conference along with SP Garud Sumit here on Saturday, the Collector called on the voters not to yield to temptations and exercise franchise.
The Collector said that model polling stations were set up in a bid to enhance the polling percentage. Six polling stations for young voters, four polling stations for women voters and two polling stations for differently-abled voters were set up in the district, he added.
Drinking water facilities have been provided at the polling stations besides tents were installed to create shade, he said, adding that steps were taken to provide uninterrupted power supply to the polling stations and ramps were constructed for disabled voters and elderly voters.
“Required steps have been taken to regulate voters in the queue lines with NCC, NSS and ex-military employees and arrangements have been made to provide toilets, water facilities and food accommodation to the staff on polling duties without any difficulties,” he said.  
The contestants must stop their campaign at 6 pm on Saturday and strict action will be taken against those who conduct the campaign after 6 pm, he warned. The sale of liquor would be stopped on May 12 and 13 and permission should be taken from the MCMC committee 48 hours before the publication of advertisements of political parties in newspapers, he made it clear.
The Collector said that on the day of polling, a temporary office can be set up only within 200 meters from the entrance of the polling centres, but campaign activities should not be held in that vicinity. No one from outside the constituencies is allowed to stay in the respective constituencies in lodges and private guest houses and the Collector instructed them to leave the premises immediately. Complaints can be made by dialing 08592 288599.
“As many as 14,000 staff have been deployed to conduct elections in the district and the APSRTC has arranged buses especially to take them to respective polling stations,” the Collector added.
Out of the total 2,183 polling stations, 486 polling stations were identified as problematic and central security forces are being deployed to the polling stations to conduct polling without any untoward incident, he said adding that a webcasting facility has been provided to 1589 polling stations.
SP Garud Sumit Sunil extensive security has been provided to conduct polling following the election commissioner guidelines. He asked all non-local members to leave the constituency after 6 pm on Saturday.  The SP said that Rs 5 crore worth of cash and other materials have been seized in the district so far.