Candidates Under Pressure to Back Off from Polls
After 3 pm, officials will announce the list of contesting candidates at the local panchayat offices.
Hyderabad:Political parties and village leaders were bearing pressure on rival candidates for the sarpanch polls to withdraw from the fray, ahead of the last date for withdrawals on Tuesday for third phase. After 3 pm, officials will announce the list of contesting candidates at the local panchayat offices.
In the poll-bound districts, including Nalgonda, Suryapet and Sangareddy, collectors monitored process of sending election material to polling stations. Collectors asked the returning officers (ROs) to check the names and symbols on the ballot papers.
With reports of candidates paying voters via apps to bribe them, Jogulamba Gadwal zone deputy inspector general of police L.S. Chouhan said that the police would take action against violations of the model code of conduct.
The DIG also directed the superintendent of police (SPs) and police officers to keep a vigil on online payments being done by the contesting candidates and also on posting objectionable content on social media.
Chauhan reviewed the poll arrangements at Nagarkurnool district and participated in a meeting with the district police officers. He directed officials to ensure that no untoward incident took place on polling day.
The DIG directed officials to strengthen security at problematic polling booths, as well as mount night surveillance and improve intelligence gathering.
He advised officials to immediately identify false propaganda and hateful posts on social media or activities that affect the election process and take strict action. Troublemakers should be identified and bind-over cases filed, and that swift action should be taken against illegal movement of liquor.
Mandals – Panchayats – Voters – Polling Stations
Phase-1 189 – 4,235 – 56,19,430 – 37,562
Phase-2 93 – 4,331 – 57,22,665 – 38,337
Phase-3 182 – 4,157 – 53,06,401 – 36,483
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Total 564 – 12,723 – 1,66,48,496 – 1,12,382
Total voters include 81,38,937 men, 85,09,059 women, and 500 third gender.
