With 120 wards, elaborate plans are in place for forthcoming local body polls

Visakhapatnam: With an expansion of 120 wards, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) gears up for the forthcoming local body polls scheduled next. Officials are making elaborate arrangements for the polls, focusing on ensuring the polling process across all 120 wards is transparent, peaceful and smooth. With the election notification expected in the first week of October, the administration has accelerated preparations at various levels.

Master trainers are conducting comprehensive awareness programmes for officials involved in the election process. The training focused on identifying and verifying polling stations, scrutinising voter lists through the concerned police stations, preparing photo electoral rolls, polling-station infrastructure and the responsibilities of officials deployed for election duties. Specific attention is given to verifying voter lists. Officials are coordinating with police stations to cross-check voter details and take precautionary measures to minimise the possibility of errors or discrepancies in the electoral rolls. GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg directed officials to inspect every polling station and ensure essential facilities are available. These include drinking water, uninterrupted power supply, adequate lighting, toilets, ramps and other facilities required for persons with disabilities and voters. Meanwhile, the process of identifying the reservation categories for the 120 wards has also reached an important stage. Officials have completed the identification of SC, ST, BC and women voters as part of the exercise to finalise ward reservations.

The draft voter and polling-station lists have been announced, and objections from the public are being invited. After examining the objections and completing the necessary verification, the final lists will be prepared. The ward-wise reservation details will be announced and the government will inform when the corporation is ready for the electoral process.

Officials are also holding meetings with representatives of various political parties at the zonal level to discuss election-related arrangements and procedures. The GVMC Commissioner is conducting daily teleconferences with additional commissioners, officials from different departments, electoral officers and assistant electoral officers to review the progress of preparations.

With the notification expected in the first week of October, officials are working to complete theentire election process within the stipulated timeframe.

There are indications that polling and the formation of the new-elected GVMC council would be completed by the end of October, which is subject to the official election schedule.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vasu Potnuru

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Potnuru Srinivasa Rao (Vasu Potnuru) is an experienced journalist specialised in politics, sports, crime, general topics and tribal stories. With 18 years of writing and reporting expertise, he contributes to The Hans India's editorial department as Principal Correspondent based in Visakhapatnam. Vasu Potnuru completed his Bachelor of Business Management. Earlier, he worked as a staff reporter in a leading Telugu vernacular. During free time, the journalist spends time listening to music, playing cricket and shuttle badminton. Vasu Potnuru, an accomplished writer, honed his expertise in various genres such as politics, crime, sports and general topics. He received an award from the HYBIZ Media Awards for the Best Rural Story in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Also, he bagged the Best Crime Reporter Award in Visakhapatnam. He serves in different unions of working journalists and contributes to service activities.

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