Visakhapatnam: All is set for polling in Visakhapatnam, with staff having dispersed to the 4,058 polling stations across the district on Wednesday.
As many as 4,553 POs, 4,553 APOs, 13,663 OPOs and 2,130 micro observers, along with other staff dispersed to their assigned stations along with the poll equipment.
The election authorities have utilised the services of 170 RTC and some private buses to drop the polling staff to polling stations.
The polling officials reached Visakhapatnam on Wednesday faced several problems due to lack of proper arrangements in the Andhra University grounds.
Some of the staff were forced to go without food as it was not arranged. “We came from another district for poll duties. We literally struggled to get food here.
When the authorities here knew beforehand of our arrival, they should have made proper arrangements. Except for tents and water cans, there is nothing here,” said a person who is on duty.
Of the 4,058 polling stations in the district, 1,667 were termed ‘problematic’. Of these, 614 are in agency areas of Araku and Paderu Assembly constituencies and another 1,053 in rural Visakhapatnam district.
A total of Rs 8.13 crore was seized during this election period, besides 62,664 litres of alcohol.
There are 17,75,630 men, 18,02,631 women and 197 transgender who are eligible to exercise their franchise on Thursday and decide the fate of 34 LS and 176 Assembly candidates.
