HYDERABAD: Nearly 3 crore voters will decide the fate of 443 candidates contesting 17 parliament seats today.
Voting across the state has been slowly picking up. As of 9 am, the highest polling percentage was recorded from Mahabubnagar at 15% and lowest was recorded from Nizamabad at 3.6 percent.
Nizamabad parliament constituency is the cynosure of all eyes as 185 candidates, including 178 farmers, are in the fray. Over 26,500 EVM units are being used to conduct polls here today. Polling started at 8 am.
Though polling staff successfully completed mock polling and did not face any problems, voters reaching polling booths are facing confusion while casting their vote.
Sitting MP from Nizamabad, K Kavitha expressed displeasure on polling arrangements. She had to stand for around 40 minutes in line to utilise voting right her native village Pothangal Mandal which was situated Renjal mandal in Nizamabad district.
Several voters across the state have complained of their names missing from the electoral list. One of the prominent voter to return from polling booth without indelible ink on her finger was Shobana Kamineni, vice chairperson of Apollo hospitals.
In the IT corridor, Hyderabad, several voters were left fuming after they could not get their electoral voter id cards even on the day of polls. Voters in Secunderabad complained of not being handed over voter slips in time.
Several PWD voters in Secunderabad were unhappy with the poor arrangements put in place for their assistance.
In Pavurala gutta village of P.A.Pally mandal villagers boycotted voting demanding to solve drinking water problem. Officials trying to convince them. Similarly, voters from Veldig in Manakondur and Vandanalu in Peddapalli district boycotted voting as Bandanapalli village was merged against the wish of villagers.
While In Mahabubnagar, Udhandapoor villagers oustees boycotted polling due to not getting the compensation for their lands under PRLI, they decided to cast their votes after RDOs intervention.
Meanwhile, CM K Chandrasekhar Rao will travel by road from his farmhouse at Erravalli to Chinthamadaka village in Siddipet mandal between by 12 PM to cast his vote.