ANANTAPUR: District Collector D. Kadmiel, who is also designated as the returning officer for Rayalaseema West constituency for election of members to the Legislative Council from local bodies, graduates and teachers' quota, has said the system of voting in the elections will be entirely different compared to that of other elections.

In a training programme for representatives of political parties, associations, officials and media persons on casting and counting of votes here on Wednesday, he said the contestants for graduates' and teachers' constituencies should be 30 years-old or above and should be a registered voter anywhere in the State. But, no educational qualification was required.

No symbols

There would be no symbols for the contestants and the voters were required to caste their preference by writing a number (digits) against the contestant. Voters could caste their preference to all contestants in the fray.

Consultant of the Election Commission Ch. Ramabrahmam said, a majority of the voters might not be having an understanding about the voting as they were last held more than 20 years ago. Legislative Council was formed in 1958 in the State and was scrapped in 1985.

Ballot papers

The ballot papers for graduates would be in white and that of teachers in pink colours. The preferences of voting against the contestants should be given only with a violet colour sketch pen, he explained. Even the preference written in words would make the vote invalid, he said.

The Collector said there were about 1.47 lakh graduate voters, 13,400 teacher voters and 1,160 local bodies' voters in the district. In all, 64 polling stations would be set up in the district. Votes of Kurnool and Kadapa disitrcts would also be counted in Anantapur.

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