 "8-10% higher voter turnout so far: V S Sampath")
Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath held meetings with leaders of all political parties apart from the state officials to review the election arrangements being made in Andhra for both Assembly and Parliament
Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath on Saturday said a higher turnout of 8-10 per cent votes had been recorded in the polls held so far during the ongoing 16th Lok Sabha elections, compared with the previous election.
“We have taken several voter-friendly steps, including increase in polling time, providing basic amenities like drinking water, sunshade and toilets. This would also encourage more people to cast their vote apart from the awareness drive,” he said.
Sampath held meetings here with leaders of all political parties apart from the state officials to review the election arrangements being made in Andhra Pradesh for both Assembly and Parliament. The elections in the two regions -Telangana and Seemandhra - that will become separate states from June 2, are being held on April 30 and May 7 respectively.
He said Rs 105 crore cash was seized in AP -- that comes to 46 per cent of the total cash seized in the country in connection with the ongoing elections.
Responding to a question on Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan’s accusation that the Election Commission had shown bias in lifting the ban on BJP leader Amit Shah from taking out rallies while retaining the same on him, Sampath said he would not wish to get into these allegations. On the alleged threatening of voters by Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, he said they were awaiting a report in this regard.
Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath on Saturday said a higher turnout of 8-10 per cent votes had been recorded in the polls held so far during the ongoing 16th Lok Sabha elections, compared with the previous election.
“We have taken several voter-friendly steps, including increase in polling time, providing basic amenities like drinking water, sunshade and toilets. This would also encourage more people to cast their vote apart from the awareness drive,” he said.
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When asked as to what has been the trend in voter turnout in percentage terms, he said it was 8-10% higher so far. Till Thursday, the Election Commission had held five rounds of polling covering 232 out of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies. Four more rounds of polling is scheduled between April 24 and May 12.
Sampath held meetings here with leaders of all political parties apart from the state officials to review the election arrangements being made in Andhra Pradesh for both Assembly and Parliament. The elections in the two regions -Telangana and Seemandhra - that will become separate states from June 2, are being held on April 30 and May 7 respectively.
He said Rs 105 crore cash was seized in AP -- that comes to 46 per cent of the total cash seized in the country in connection with the ongoing elections.
Responding to a question on Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan’s accusation that the Election Commission had shown bias in lifting the ban on BJP leader Amit Shah from taking out rallies while retaining the same on him, Sampath said he would not wish to get into these allegations. On the alleged threatening of voters by Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, he said they were awaiting a report in this regard.