Local body elections in Nellore and Chittoor districts have triggered intensified surveillance, expenditure monitoring and security preparations as officials move to enforce election rules and prevent violations during the polling process.
Nellore District Collector and Election Officer Himanshu Shukla directed officials to strictly implement the Model Code of Conduct to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. He inspected the 24-hour election control room established at the Nellore Collectorate and reviewed the work of teams monitoring complaints, election expenditure, political advertisements and possible breaches of the poll code.
The control room is coordinating several election-monitoring units, including flying squads, static surveillance teams, expenditure-monitoring units and the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee. Shukla instructed these teams to discharge their responsibilities effectively throughout the election period. Political advertisements must receive prior certification from the MCMC in accordance with election rules.
Officials have also been directed to watch for the illegal distribution of cash, gifts and other inducements. Members of the public can report election-related complaints and seek information through the helpline 0861-2331261, according to the arrangements reviewed by the district administration.
In Chittoor district, Collector Sumit Kumar held a meeting at the Pulicherla Mandal Revenue Officer’s office and instructed election officials to follow the prescribed procedures at every stage. These stages include the filing and scrutiny of nominations, polling, counting and the declaration of results.
Kumar also stressed that government employees must maintain political neutrality. Officials and employees have been instructed not to campaign for or against any candidate or political party while performing their duties during the election process.
Chittoor Superintendent of Police Tushar Dudi said additional police personnel, continuous surveillance and preventive security measures were being arranged at nomination centres. The security plan is intended to address threats to candidates, voter intimidation, inducements and attempts to create tension, all of which officials said would attract strict legal action.
The arrangements in both districts place responsibility on multiple departments rather than on polling officials alone. Election control rooms, flying squads, surveillance teams, expenditure monitors, media-certification officials and the police are expected to coordinate their work as nominations and subsequent stages of the election proceed.
For voters and candidates, the measures provide formal channels to report suspected violations and seek information. They also establish that political advertising, campaign conduct, election spending and security at nomination centres will be monitored alongside the conduct of polling itself.
Officials in Nellore and Chittoor have urged the public to report violations and cooperate with enforcement agencies to help ensure peaceful elections. The next operational milestones will be the continuing scrutiny of election conduct, nomination-related procedures and security arrangements through polling, counting and the declaration of results.
