Kakinada: 2 helicopters allotted for election duty

Kakinada: The Election Commission has allotted two helicopters for transporting polling equipment, personnel and for ensuring the security of EVMs in agency areas. More than 5,000 ex-servicemen will be deployed across Andhra Pradesh for security operations during the elections.

State Election Officer Gopala Krishna Dwivedi and State Elections Central Police Observer S.S. Sarma jointly reviewed the arrangements at the polling stations with District Collector Karthikeya Misra, Superintendent of Police Vishal Gunni, General and Police Observers here on Monday.

The District Collector requested the Election Commission to allot helicopters for transport of polling personnel and equipment to remote and inaccessible areas like Gurthedu in the agency area. He also sought relaxation in poll timings to conclude the election process early in agency areas to shift the material to assigned strong rooms.

He also said that the students of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTUK) were participating in webcasting duties and the Election Commission should direct the Educational Department to postpone their internal examination in April first week.

The Superintendent of Police Vishal Gunni added that additional security forces were needed for conducting elections in sensitive villages and agency areas.

In response to the appeals of the district officials, the State Election Central Police Observer said that two helicopters would be requisitioned from East-ern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam. He suggested the Superinten-dent of Police to appoint police officials and personnel on randomisation basis as per election panel instructions.

Mr Goipalakrishna Dwivedi did not agree to relaxation of timings in polling and he suggested that the officials step up security to conduct the poll as per schedule by making use of ex-servicemen and retired police officials, NCC Cadets and others who were fit. He also said that more than 5,000 ex-servicemen would come to Andhra Pradesh from Tamil Nadu.

He also warned Government Officers and personnel of taking stringent action against them, if they participated in party campaigns and support the parties. He said that video recording and webcasting should be taken up in all polling centres.