AP Likely To Defer ZPTC, MPTC Polls by Two Days
Security concerns arise as municipal vote counting and local body polling fall on November 3.
Kurnool: The ZPTC and MPTC elections scheduled for November 3 are likely to be postponed by two days due to security concerns, as the counting of votes and declaration of results for municipal elections are also scheduled for the same day.
Police officials have expressed concerns over deploying adequate personnel at municipal counting centres and ZPTC and MPTC polling stations simultaneously. The government is examining the possibility of rescheduling the elections following representations from police officers and district administrations in Rayalaseema.
Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen said the government was discussing the issue and a decision could be taken on postponing the elections.
“Conducting municipal election counting and ZPTC and MPTC polling on the same day could create difficulties in making security arrangements. We need adequate police personnel at counting centres as well as polling stations to ensure that the process is conducted peacefully. The government is examining the issue, and there is a possibility of postponing the elections by two days,” he said.
Police officials fear that the announcement of municipal election results could trigger celebrations by winning candidates and their supporters while polling for the other local bodies is under way, potentially leading to confrontations between rival groups in sensitive areas.
Several district collectors are also understood to have brought the issue to the notice of the State Election Commission, citing difficulties in deploying election staff and security personnel for both activities on the same day.