HYDERABAD: As many as 2.20 lakh polling personnel, police and a few thousand volunteers will be deployed across the State to ensure smooth conduct of in 17 Parliamentary constituencies on Thursday. A total of 443 candidates are in the fray in the 17 segments - Adilabad (ST), Peddapalli (SC), Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Zaheerabad, Medak, Makajgiri, Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Chevella, Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool (SC), Nalgonda, Bhongir, Warangal (SC), Mahabubabad (ST) and Khammam.
About 2,97,08,599 voters - including 1,49,30,726 male, 1,47,76,370 female, 1,544 third gender, 11,320 service voters and 1,731 NRIs voters - will be exercising their franchise on Thursday. Barring in a few places, polling is scheduled to start at 7 am and end at 5 pm. As per the orders of Election Commission of India (ECI) polling in 13 Naxal-affected Assembly constituencies, will be held from 7 am to 4 pm and they include Sirpur, Chennur (SC reserved), Bellampally (SC), Macherial, Asifabad (ST), Manthani, Bhupalpalle, Mulugu (ST), Pinapaka (ST), Yellandu (ST), Kothagudem, Aswaraopeta (ST) and Bhadrachalam (ST). In Nizamabad constituency, where 185 candidates are in the fray, polling will start at 8 am and end at 6 pm.
As many as 6,049 polling booths have been identified as sensitive in the 13 Assembly segments, mostly in the bordering district districts of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, where polling process closes by 4 pm.
The government has declared a holiday on Thursday while there is a prohibition on sale of liquor till the conclusion of polls at 6 pm.
Proof of identity
Meanwhile, CEO Rajat Kumar said that Photo Voter Slip distributed by staff does not stand as proof, voters have to compulsorily carry EPIC cards or any of alternative photo identity documents for establishing their identity, they include passport, driving license, service identity cards with photograph issued to employees by Central, State government, PSUs, Public Limited Companies, passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post office, PAN card, Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR, MNREGA Job Card, Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour, pension document with photograph, official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs and Aadhaar card.