VIJAYAWADA: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gopal Krishna Dwivedi has informed that as many as 3,925 nominations were filed for 175 Assembly constituencies and 548 for the 25 Lok Sabha segments for the April 11 elections.
While Nandyal Assembly (61) and Nandyal parliamentary constituencies (38) received highest number of nominations, Chittoor (13) Lok Sabha segment and Palakonda (10) and Parvathipuram (10) Assembly constituencies received lowest number of nominations. Out of the total 3,925, a whopping 2,506 nominations were filed on March 25, the final day of filing the nominations.
Speaking to mediapersons at the Interim Government Complex in Velagapudi on Tuesday, Dwivedi said that they were targeting to increase the voting percentage to 87 per cent from 78 per cent in the 2014 elections. “We are taking all initiatives to increase the poll percentage. We are organising various awareness programmes for the voters. A mobile app has already been launched to inform the voters about the length of the queue at their polling stations,” he said.
When asked about the scrutiny of nominations, Dwivedi said that he can only direct the officials to read the rule books thoroughly and take action accordingly. “It is up to the Returning Officers (ROs) to take a decision on accepting or rejecting the nominations and whatever they do is final. Of course, there will be observers and other procedures. But, at this juncture, the decision of the ROs is final,” he asserted.
Stating that more than 60 per cent of complaints received through C-Vigil mobile app were fake, he said out of the total 2,614 complaints received through C-Vigil, only 1,074 were found genuine.
As many as 17 FIRs were registered based on C-Vigil complaints so far, he said and appealed to the people to post only genuine complaints. On release of film ‘Lakshmi’s NTR’, Dwivedi said a decision will be taken soon. “We are taking the opinions of legal experts and will take a decision as per the guidelines of Representation of People’s Act and Cinematography Act,” he asserted. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 28.
