Municipals elections for Khammam, Siddipet today

Elaborate arrangements in place to enable voting following COVID-19 safety precautions

A little over 2.88 lakh voters are expected to cast their votes in Friday’s election to the Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) even as elaborate arrangements are in place to enable the voters exercise their franchise in adherence to COVID-19 safety precautions. As the COVID-19 second wave continues to loom large over the district, all eyes are now on the possible impact on the voter turnout in Friday’s KMC election. Around 251 candidates are in the fray for 60 wards in the KMC. The election authorities have made arrangements to provide face masks, face shields and hand sanitisers to the polling staff as per the COVID-19 safety protocols. The postal ballot facility has been extended to the COVID-19 patients and voters above 80 years of age as well as physically challenged electors on a par with the eligible employees deployed on election duty, KMC sources said. A little over 250 postal ballots have been dispatched to the eligible voters by Thursday evening, sources added.