Tight security arrangements in place for ULB polls in Andhra

As many as 16 companies of Central paramilitary forces and 130 battalions of Andhra Pradesh Special police besides regular police have been deployed as part of security arrangements for the elections to urban local bodies in the state.
Polls would be held for 146 municipalities and 10 municipal corporations in the state tomorrow, said State Election Commissioner P Ramakanth Reddy today.
Also, over 25,000 poll-related and nearly 21,000 excise related cases were booked during the past few days. Besides, more than Rs 59 crore unaccounted cash was seized by the police during their searches. So far, 7488 persons involved in liquor cases have been arrested, Reddy told reporters here.

The municipal elections had not been held in the state for the last three-and-a-half years when term of the civic bodies ended way back in October 2010.
Over 17,800 candidates are in the fray for municipal polls while 3,340 contestants are trying their luck in the corporation elections.
Reddy had earlier said that about one crore voters would directly elect their ward/division representatives in 4,503 wards in the urban local bodies.