VIJAYAWADA: Postal ballot voting proceeded smoothly on the second day with elaborate arrangements in place, stated NTR district Election Officer and Collector S Dilli Rao.
He inspected the centralised voter facilitation centre at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in the city, overseeing the special arrangements tailored for the summer conditions on Sunday.
He directed the officials to ensure a seamless voting process without any hiccups. Addressing the media afterwards, the Collector noted that minor issues which were encountered on the first day, were promptly addressed, leading to a smooth voting.
The officials have improved the arrangements on the second day, allowing voters to exercise their postal ballot voting rights without any hassles. Approximately 1,300 individuals cast their votes at the centralised facilitation centre on the first day, with around 5,000 people across the district voting via postal ballot.
Following guidelines from the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), the exchange of Form-12 and postal ballots has been facilitated, with further exchanges scheduled for May 10. Dilli Rao detailed that apart from the centralised facilitation centre, similar centres are operational at the Assembly constituency level under the supervision of Returning Voter Officers (ROs).
Postal ballot voting opportunities were provided to Polling Officers (POs) and Assistant Polling Officers (APOs) on May 4 and will continue on May 6. Other election staff members used postal ballots on May 4 and 5, with the option to vote on May 6 as well, and potentially on subsequent days if necessary.
To alleviate pressure on the centralised facilitation centre, additional centres, including one at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram, have been established as needed. The Collector emphasised the importance of scrutinising every application at the facilitation centres to ensure smooth voting on May 13.
Special arrangements have been made for Emergency Services Personnel (AVES) to vote through facilitation centres on May 7. He highlighted that individuals from various emergency services, including doctors, medical staff, and RTC and railway employees, can cast their votes via postal ballot. Home voting processes will be conducted by special teams on May 7 and 9, with 1,052 people having applied for home voting.