GPS and Google to help cops in bypolls
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Among the third gender voters listed in the electoral rolls for the state bypolls, there are three voters each in Narsapuram and Kodur Assembly segments followed by two in Rajampet and one in Yemmiganur. Four third gender voters have enrolled themselves in the Nellore Lok Sabha seat.
Also for the first time, the EC will accept only EPICs and photo voter slips as valid documents to identify the voter. Amidst complaints that some political parties were taking away the voter slips by bribing voters in an apparent bid to prevent them from voting, Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal said that voters could go to the polling booths and obtain another copy of the voters slip from the authorities concerned. The CEO also announced that there would not be any restrictions on movement of people, and RTC buses and autorickshaws would be allowed to ply normally.
The EC declared Tuesday as a holiday in all the constituencies going to polls and announced that employees and casual labourers from these segments who worked outside would be eligible for a paid leave so that they could vote. The campaign that ran for more than a month saw bigwigs including Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy receiving notices for violation of the election code and the EC not acting on their replies till the polls. The only person that the EC actually censured was roads and buildings minister D. Prasada Rao.
This may have emboldened two ministers, K. Parthasarathy and T.G. Venkatesh, to freely violate the code. Mr Parthasarathy stayed back in Tirupati even after the end of the deadline and the collector and the collector was only asked to request the minister to leave. After the campaign ban came into effect, Mr Venkatesh warned the electorate that the state would be divided if they voted for parties other than the Congress. The EC, however, transferred an SP in Visakhapa-tnam district on allegations that he was working for the ruling party candidate in Payakaraopet.
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