North Coastal Andhra Sees 70% Turnout for MLC Elections

The polling for three graduates and two teachers’ constituencies of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Councils happened yesterday. North Coastal Andhra Pradesh registered a polling percentage of 69.70% in the MLC elections with Vizag recording 71.1%, Vizianagaram 70% and Srikakulam 70.7%.

The process started at 8 AM and ended at 6 PM at the 240 booths set up across the three districts. While it started on a dull note in the morning, things soon took a turn with the polling gaining momentum in the afternoon. By 4 PM the poll percentage reached 60 in all the districts and by the end of it, stood at 69.7%.

Srikakulam-Vizianagaram-Visakhapatnam, Prakasam, Nellore-Chittoor and Kadapa-Kurnool-Anantapur for graduate, and Prakasam-Nellore-Chittoor and Kadapa-Kurnool-Anantapur for teacher are the constituencies that went to the polls. The ballot paper was quite big in size, listing out 30 nominees. Government employees availed the special leave they were offered to cast votes. Private school teachers and employees also turned up to vote.

Visakhapatnam District Collector and returning officer Pravin Kumar monitored the polling through web-casts from various stations. Prakasham district saw over 90% polling from the teachers’ constituency.

Despite not having a separate line, women voters reportedly were active at the booths in Srikakulam for the polling at graduates’ constituency. The polling for the MLC constituency went off perfectly in Vizianagaram. The district had a total of 34,634 registered voters.

Things didn’t run so smoothly all over though with Collector Pravin Kumar having to remove two booth-level officers at Anakapalle and Thotagaruvu for violating norms. Despite the polls being conducted under strong surveillance, with web cameras set up and micro observers deployed, in Tirupati sitting MLC (graduates) Yandavalli Srinivasa Reddy raised a complaint with the authorities that the TDP cadres had resorted to rigging. Proceedings were peaceful in North Coastal Andhra.