VIJAYAWADA: As of midnight, Andhra Pradesh recorded 78.36% voter turnout, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Speaking to media persons on Monday evening, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena announced that 68.04% of polling was recorded as of 5 pm. He hoped that the poll percentage would increase further as a large number of people were still waiting to cast their votes. “I am optimistic that the poll percentage will be more in comparison to the last elections,” he said.
The CEO said that polling was continuing in about 3,500 polling stations for those who were in queues after the completion of the expiry of the 6 pm deadline.
“I am anticipating it will increase further by the closing time. However, it is expected the final figure will arrive on Tuesday morning,” he said.
Stating that he had not received any demand for re-polling in any booth, the CEO said that the observers and Returning Officers will go over the complaints from political parties with regard to the re-polling and will take a final call on Tuesday.
Stating that sufficient security arrangements have been made in Anantapur, Palnadu and Annamayya districts going by the intelligence alert about the scope for violence during the election time, he said about 12 complaints have been received on clashes between political parties.
Similarly, incidents of damaging Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were reported from 11 places. While eight EVMs were damaged in the Macherla constituency, two were damaged in Kodur constituency of Annamayya district and another EVM was damaged in Darsi in Prakasam district.
Engineers from BHEL tested the damaged machines and informed that the data was intact in the chip and the votes polled in the machines could be counted.
All the 11 machines were replaced and the polling resumed in all the 11 places, the CEO said. First complaint came from the Punganur constituency about abduction of polling agents. However, the police rescued them and the polling resumed, he said, adding that the Sub-Inspector was suspended for releasing the accused without taking permission from the higher authorities. He said that leaders, including Tenali sitting MLA, two contest candidates in Anantapur and Narasaraopet constituency were kept under house arrest to avoid the occurrence of violence.
He said that unlike the previous elections, not many complaints were received about people missing their votes in the voters list.