Voting staff and party agents must undergo a COVID-19 test and produce a “negative” report in order to get to the centers counting the May 2 by-election for the Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency.
Staff and agents should have a negative report aside from valid ID, said collector M. Hari Narayanan, who, along with MCT Commissioner PS Gireesha, is having a review meeting with the deputy returnees after attending a video conference with the Chief Electoral held off Officer K. Vijayanand.
“According to the new circular published by the Electoral Commission, the agents and staff would have to retest for COVID-19 and submit the report that they actually tested negative,” Hari Narayanan said, adding that extra manpower 50 % were mobilized to meet these demands.
The review took place against the backdrop of the Sri Venkateswara Arts College in Tirupati and became the center for the counting of votes in relation to the assembly segments Tirupati, Srikalahasti and Satyavedu which are part of the Lok Sabha constituency in Tirupati (SC). The center is being renovated and exhaust fans are being installed in the counting halls to avoid the risk of suffocation. Every other person among the agents must put on the PPE suits, while the police officers must also wear face shields and masks.
MCT Commissioner PS Gireesha, Revenue Divisional Officer Kanaka Narasa Reddy, Deputy Returnees Chandramouliswar Reddy (Tirupati), Srinivasulu (Srikalahasti) and Chandra Sekhar (Satyavedu), General Manager of Smart City Corporation, V. Chandramouli, and Tahsildar ( Tirupati Urban) Jaya Ramulu took part.