AP Bypoll: EC orders covering of statues

HYDERABAD: The Election Commission on Friday ordered that the statues of political leaders falling within a radius of 200 metres of polling stations be covered completely 48 hours before the bypolls.Chief electoral officer Bhanwarlal said the Election Commission ordered that the statues of political leaders falling within the 200 metres radius of polling stations should be covered completely. Those statues which are not under the radius of 200 metres of polling booths need not be covered, he clarified.On the representation received by the TDP legislator KS Ratnam that Sakshi newspaper is being distributed free of cost to the voters in the areas where bypolls are due, the CEO said an enquiry would be conducted and action initiated based on the report.Similarly, on another complaint received by YSR Congress party alleging that the police is bounding over only those belonging to their party and leaving other parties particularly the Congress freely in Macherla and not allowing them to campaign in the assembly, the CEO said he sought a report on it.Bhanwarlal said Braille script EVMs will be made available in the polling stations for the visually handicapped voters to exercise their franchise.