Hamlets with 10 voters to get polling stations: CEO
Hyderabad: In an attempt to increase polling percentage in rural areas, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj has decided to set up polling stations at hamlets having just 10 voters for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. The decision was taken following reports of people walking around 20 kilometres to cast their vote during the Assembly elections in November 2023.
Penta hamlet in the Achampet Assembly constituency in Nagarkurnool district and Budigattu of Devarakonda Assembly in Nalgonda district have 10 voters each. The officials said the Election Commission of India (ECI) would appoint duty officers, police forces and transportation to shift EVMs at each polling station,
The officials said that they noticed 10 to 20 persons are residing in hamlets in Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda, Mahbubabad and Bhadrachalam where the voters have to walk more than 20 km to reach the nearest polling station and to cast their votes.
Keeping in mind the issues, the CEO decided to set up the smallest polling station for the convenience of 10 voters to utilise their right to vote.