Chittoor District witnessed poor voting percentage in Municipal Elections

Tirupati: Chittoor District witnessed dull voting in all 4 municipalities and 2 municipal corporations in present urban body local polls. The district average has been recorded at only 62.5% voting till 5 pm at the end of the polling. District Collector Hari Narayan and SPS Senthil Kumar (Chittoor), CH Venkata Appala Naidu (Tirupati Urban) have been monitoring the poll procedure from morning 7 am to evening 5 pm when the voting was closed. As a whole, the district polling percentage was very dull because of the poor participation of voters in urban areas.

Due to humidity and high temperatures after 12 pm all the polling stations were seen as a deserted look without voters. Police dispersed the mob during the election by doing laati charge at 15 ward in front of Mahatma Gandhi polling station in Tirupati city, here when the conflict took place between YSRCP and TDP followers immediately police intervened to control the situation . In this connection police did the lathi-charge on both groups to maintain law and order. Temple city witnessed very less 54 % of voting, when compared with other small municipalities like Puttur and Nagari.

Polls were conducted to Palamaner, Nagari, Puttur and Madanapalle as well as Tirupati, Chittoor Municipal Corporations. While the biggest corporation in Chittoor district Tirupati witnessed very low voting till the closing time of 5 pm, more than recorded only 62.5% of the voting. TDP candidates have alleged that at many places in Tirupati city fake votes were polled.

As per District Election Authority, across the district first one-hour voting percentage was recorded as 9.8 %. At 11 am it was increased to only 26%. Then at 1 pm, it goes up to 41.28 % only. At 3 pm the voting percentage was recorded 54.2%. Before the voting closing time at 5 pm, it touched 62.5%.

This shows urban people have not shown that much interest to cast their votes in urban local polls.

District Collector Harinarayna visited polling stations at Palamaner Municipality. Similarly, District Joint Collector Development Veerabrahmam visited the Neerugattu Vari Palle Polling station in Madanapalle town and interacted with polling officials over the polling procedure and percentage. He instructed the staff not to spare anyone the inside of the polling without connection of election duties and strictly follow the election rules.

Tirupati Urban SP Ch Venkatappala Naidu and Chittoor SP S Senthilkumar roaming the polling centres from morning to evening at the end of the voting procedure in polling centres. Randomly they inspected various polling stations in Tirupati and Chittoor municipal corporations where the chances to raise election conflicts between Ruling YSRCP and opposition TDP candidates and followers.

Interestingly, Nagari MLA RK Roja casted her vote at Nagari Municipality and alleged that party rebels wanted frayed in the elections to damage the election-winning chances of party candidates. She demanded disciplinary action against the rebels by the high party high command.