Ballari Local Bodies Constituency of the Legislative Council saw intense preparations on the eve of Friday’s polling. The polling staff and security personnel were busy in arranging poll material at Tahsildar offices across Ballari and Vijayanagara districts that were designated as mustering centres. Later, they left for the respective polling stations in vehicles.
As per the calendar of events issued, polling is to be held between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The district administration has established 247 polling stations across the two districts to facilitate 4,663 voters — members of local bodies of governance such as municipalities in urban areas and panchayats in rural areas. An exclusive polling station has been set up on the Ballari Zilla Panchayat premises for members of the Ballari City Corporation.
As per information provided by the district administration, each polling station is provided with a presiding officer, assistant presiding officer, polling officer, identification officer and a Group D staff, apart from security personnel. Each polling station will have a micro observer and the polling process will be videographed.
The administration has already sensitised the polling staff on the COVID-19 guidelines to be followed during polling.
Senior Indian Administrative Officer V. Ramprasad Manohar, who is the designated election observer for the constituency, District Election Officer and Ballari Deputy Commissioner Pavankumar Malapati, Additional District Election Officer P.S. Manjunath and other senior officers visited the mustering centres and took stock of the preparations. Later, they also visited the Government Polytechnic College where counting will be taken up.
Four candidates, Yeachareddy Sathish from the Bharatiya Janata Party, K.C. Kondaiah from Indian National Congress and Independent candidates Gangireddy and C.M. Manjunath, are in the fray
