63% voters exercise franchise in Seemandhra

Election officials hope that the final turnout may go up to around 80%

Press Trust of India Hyderabad
Last Updated : May 07 2014 | 5:25 PM IST
About 63% polling was recorded till 1500 hours today in the elections to 25 Lok Sabha and 175 Assembly constituencies in Seemandhra.

Barring sporadic incidents of clashes between workers of YSRCP and TDP and alleged attacks on policemen in Rayalaseema districts, polling has been largely peaceful, official sources said.

The highest turnout of 67%, among the 13 districts in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions (together known as Seemandhra), was reported from West Godavari district, while the lowest was in Visakhapatnam district.

Also Read

Election officials hope that the final turnout may go up to around 80%.

Among the 175 Assembly constituencies, polling hours are 7 AM to 6 PM in 165 seats. But in eight Naxal-hit segments, polling would be held from 7 AM to 5 PM.

The polling concluded by 4 PM in two Naxal-affected Assembly seats near Visakhapatnam.

A group of Maoists burnt an EVM and a vehicle at Palakagidi of Koyyuru Mandal in Visakhapatnam district before fleeing. Repolling has been ordered at the polling station, a police official said.

Two police officers came under attack and their vehicles were also damaged after a mob pelted them with stones when they tried to regulate at a polling booth in Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district, according to police.

The TDP has complained to the Election Commission in Delhi about the alleged attacks on policemen and media at some places and also about malfunctioning of EVMs.

Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu strongly condemned the attack on party Assembly candidates from Mydukuru and Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district by alleged workers of the YSR Congress. He also condemned the attack on police personnel at Jammalamadugu.

Earlier, police opened fire in the air to disperse a group of YSR Congress workers who allegedly tried to forcibly remove a poll agent from a booth in Guntur.

A few stray incidents were reported at Jammalamadugu, Proddutur and Mydukur Assembly segments in Kadapa district.

There were incidents of stone pelting between YSRCP and TDP at a few places and two vehicles were damaged during the clashes.

Seven workers of both YSRCP and TDP were injured in Proddatur and Mydukur segments.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 07 2014 | 5:25 PM IST

Next Story