GHMC polls: Food for staff once they return EVMs

Hyderabad: For the first time food will be served for all staff posted on election duty by the non-profit Akshya Patra in association with the GHMC. The food will not be served at the pooling booths, it would be provided when the staff return the EVMs.

On Monday, food was provided to over 55,000 election staff who were conducting dry runs for Tuesday’s poll. The staff will get rice, sambar, a vegetable curry, pickle and buttermilk packet. The GHMC will pick up the tab at Rs 22.20 per meal.

Staff protest

The election staff at City College in the old city and Sainikpuri Bhavan’s college polling centre held dharnas saying they were not provided water and food.

Polling staff organised similar protests in Ramanthapur, Gachibowli and Hafeezpet.

Tension prevailed at Icfai School near Chintal under Quthbullapur when Balanagar inspector P. Bixapathi Rao allegedly manhandled election staff and threatened them with a weapon while they were protesting lack of facilities at polling stations.