Rural polls to kick off in three districts amid heightened security on November 5

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Police personnel interact with villagers at a former faction village near Penukonda in Sri Sathya Sai district on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

About 31 lakh rural voters across Chittoor, Annamayya and Sri Sathya Sai districts are going to the MPTC/ZPTC elections on November 5 (Thursday). With polling scheduled from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., the three districts remain fully geared up for a crucial grassroots electoral exercise amid heightened security in the backdrop of the region’s political rivalry and past faction feuds.

The three districts have 84 ZPTC and 1,087 MPTC seats across 84 mandals. Chittoor accounts for 27 ZPTC and 370 MPTC seats, with 10.26 lakh voters. Annamayya has 25 ZPTC and 321 MPTC seats and 9.09 lakh voters, while Sri Sathya Sai has 32 ZPTC and 396 MPTC seats with 11.35 lakh voters. Three ZPTC seats each in Chittoor and Annamayya were reported elected unopposed, leaving 78 ZPTC seats for polling across the region.

In 2021, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) trounced the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and won the Zilla Parishad chairmen posts of combined Chittoor, Anantapur and Kadapa districts.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Tushar Dudi said security remained a major priority, particularly in sensitive rural pockets. “Chittoor has 1,236 polling stations, including 366 sensitive and 346 highly sensitive centres, with around 2,000 police personnel earmarked for election security,” he said.

In Annamayya, police have stepped up preventive measures following 31 election-related cases and 51 arrests reported between October 15 and 29.

In Sri Sathya Sai district, heavy security arrangements were being made in sensitive pockets, including Dharmavaram Rural, Mudigubba, Tadimarri and Battalapalli. “An adequate number of police personnel have been deployed for the rural polls, supported by mobile patrols, striking forces and surveillance teams,” said Superintendent of Police S. Satish Kumar.

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