All set for by-elections to two Assembly seats in Telangana, Andhra
Hyderabad, Oct 29: The stage is set for the by-elections to Huzurabad and Badvel Assembly constituencies in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, on Saturday.
The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements in both the constituencies to ensure free and fair polling. Balloting through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 7 p.m.
A little over 2.37 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in Huzurabad constituency in Karimnagar district of Telangana.
Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Shashank Goel said all arrangements were in place to ensure peaceful polling. Twenty companies of central paramilitary forces in addition to the personnel from state police have been deployed as part of the elaborate security arrangements.
Polling will be held at 306 polling centres spread over 106 gram panchayats.
The CEO said strict action would be taken on complaints about distribution of money, liquor or any other item to influence voters. He said Rs 3.50 crore was so far seized in the constituency.
A total of 30 candidates are in fray in the bye-election, caused by the resignation of E. Rajender after he was dropped from the state cabinet. He also quit the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to join to join Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which fielded him.
Huzurabad is witnessing a three-cornered contest among the TRS, the BJP and the Congress. The TRS has fielded Gellu Srinivas Yadav while Congress has nominated B. Venkat Narsing Rao, chief of the state NSUI unit, as its candidate.
In Badvel constituency in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, 2.16 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes.
Poll authorities have set up 281 polling stations out of which 148 have been identified as critical. According to Kadapa Superintendent of Police, over 2,000 police personnel including central armed forces have been deployed.
A total of 16 candidates are testing their political fortunes in the bypoll, caused by the death of sitting MLA G. Venkatasubbaiah of ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).
Badvel, reserved for Scheduled Castes, is in Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy's home district of Kadapa.
The YSRCP has fielded Venkatasubbaiah's wife Dasari Sudha, who is locked in a three-cornered contest against Congress's M. Kamalamma and BJP's P. Suresh.