Nearly 32% voting recorded in Andhra re-polls

Nearly 32 per cent voters exercised their ballots in seven polling stations as re-polling was underway in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor Lok Sabha constituency on Sunday amid tight security.

As of 11 a.m., 31.92 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the polling stations located in Chandragiri, one of the Assembly segments under Chittoor, according to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer.

The re-polls for both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls began at 7 a.m.. It will end at 6 p.m.

The Election Commission (EC) ordered the re-polls following complaints by YSR Congress candidate from Chandragiri, Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy that voters of a particular community were not allowed to cast their ballots on April 11.

The EC initially ordered re-polls in five booths but later added two more.

The poll body's decision evoked strong reaction from the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which accused the EC of bias.

The TDP too demanded re-polls in 19 polling stations spread across various constituencies.

As there was tension in areas where re-polling was ordered, the election authorities made large scale security arrangements to prevent any poll violence.

Earlier, re-polls were held in five polling stations in three districts on May 6.

Polling for Andhra Pradesh's 175-member Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state was held on April 11.

--IANS

ms/ksk