Polling for the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) began at a slow pace. On March 10, at Visakhapatnam, by about 9 pm, about 1.53 lakh votes were cast out of a total of 17.26 lakh votes, which was recorded to be 8.89 percent.
The polling process intensified around 7 am and senior citizens arrived first at some polling stations. “I came in the first hour, because the crowd would be less and I could exercise my franchise without any trouble,” Chau. Srinivasa Rao, a retired government employee in Madhavadhara.
Though the turnout was generally low, some areas such as Appughar and Peda Jalaripeta had long queues till 8 am.
Steel plant workers
With the issue of privatization of the Visakhapatnam steel plant, all polling stations around Gajuwaka and VSP were notified as sensitive and hyper-sensitive.
In defiance of Centre’s proposal for 100% strategic sales of VSPs, plant employees dropped an extra slip of paper with the ballot, with the slogan ‘Save VSP’.
Peaceful
In general, voting has been peaceful in all the 98 wards in GVMC and in 22 wards in Yalamanchali and 28 wards in Narasipatnam municipalities.
Make elaborate arrangements
Not only adequate security personnel were deployed at all polling stations for smooth conduct of polling, district officials took all COVID-19 precautions as per protocol.
Scavengers and hand-held thermal scanners were installed by ASHA workers at about two to three counters in each polling booths. “All voters entering the booth have to pass through our counters,” said an ASHA worker at a polling station in Murlinagar.
Videographers were seen at several polling stations and policemen and volunteers were seen helping senior citizens and different voters at polling stations.
Although people were usually seen wearing masks, people were seen walking without them at some polling stations. Both police and health workers appeared to insist on wearing it. However, the social distinction criterion was not practiced at most polling stations.
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