TIRUPATI: Tirupati district election machinery has ramped up efforts to prevent any instances of bogus voting and ensure the smooth conduct of the polling process.
District Collector and Election Officer Pravin Kumar issued a stern warning, stating that pilgrims visiting the temple city to pay homage at the Venkateswara Swamy shrine in Tirumala must provide evidence justifying their visit upon inquiry. He emphasised that any individual found to have undertaken the pilgrimage with the ulterior motive of unlawfully casting their vote would face severe consequences.
“To maintain law and order, Section 144, prohibiting gatherings of five or more individuals, is enforced across Tirupati until the conclusion of voting on May 13,” he stated.
He clarified that no permissions would be granted for election campaigning, political gatherings, or related activities during this period, allowing only pre-certified political advertisements to be published in newspapers.
SP Krishnakanth Patel assured that a robust security presence, comprising over 5,000 personnel, has been deployed across the district to guarantee peaceful polling.