Andhra Pradesh: MLC Polls Across Three Segments Conducted Peacefully
The counting of votes will be taken up on March 3
Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam: The MLC polls for three constituencies --including two graduates’ and one teachers’ – were generally peaceful on Thursday, but some minor incidents of violence and luring voters with money have occurred in some areas.
The ballots sealed, the counting of votes will be taken up on March 3.
The chief electoral officer has reported that by 4pm, the East-West Godavari Graduates’ constituency registered a poll percentage of 63.28 while Krishna-Guntur Graduates’ constituency 65.58 and the Srikakulam-Vizianagarm-Visakhapatnam Teachers’ constituency 91.82 per cent.
The polling started at 8am in almost all the 1,062 polling stations and ended at 4pm. The final reports on the percentage of polling from the three constituencies were expected by late night.
Chief electoral officer Vivek Yadav visited the polling station at Patamata in Vijayawada and the Tadepalli Urban in Guntur district under Krishna-Guntur graduates’ constituency and took stock of the poll process.
By 10am, the polling percentage started to improve. Voters were seen standing in long queues at polling stations to cast their votes. The polling percentage at that time was 5.77 in East-West constituency, 11.08 in Krishna-Guntur constituency and 21.66 in Srikakulam-Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam constituency.
By 12 noon, the figures rose to 26.04 per cent, 29.97 per cent and 57.71 per cent respectively. Later, by 2pm, the percentage stood at 45.29, 49.06 and 79.54 respectively.
The authorities in all the districts where the polling was held erected pandals and arranged drinking water and made other armaments for the benefit of the voters, mainly the special needs persons and pregnant women at the polling stations. Section 144 CrPC was promulgated at the polling stations to ensure peace.
In NTR district, collector Lakshmi Sha monitored the polling from the command control centre. Webcasting had been arranged in 112 polling stations.
In all, there are 70 contestants in the three constituencies involving an electorate of 6.84 lakh voters.
