Date:26/04/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/04/26/stories/2004042604610300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Security beefed up for polling

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, APRIL 25. About 24.6-lakh voters will decide the fate of 103 candidates contesting from 14 Assembly constituencies and 11 candidates vying for two Parliamentary constituencies in the district on Monday. In all, 2,762 polling stations have been set up for the voters to exercise their franchise. According to the District Election Officer and District Collector, Y.V. Anuradha, 6,320 electronic voting machines will be used for Monday's polling.

Ms. Anuradha said that 18,532 polling staff including 3,106 presiding officers and 3,073 assistant presiding officers have been deployed for the exercise. According to the Superintendent of Police, Anil Kumar, all security arrangements have been made and about 9,000 police personnel and officers will be deployed on Monday.

In addition to the local police, 20 companies of Central Reserve Police Force and Greyhounds personnel, armed reserve police and special police too will be pressed into service.

He stated that 307 mobile parties, 77 striking forces, 81 special striking forces and 46 Greyhounds parties have been formed to prevent any untoward incident and to maintain law and order. The Greyhounds parties will be deployed in Ramagiri, Chennekothapalli, Kanaganapalli, Uravakonda, Garladinne and Bukkapatnam mandals. Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued against troublemakers, he added.