Despite more wards, polling percentage dips

Visakhapatnam: Not many showed keen interest in casting their votes during the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) elections held on November 1.

From morning to early evening, the polling booths were deserted most of the day. However, two hours before the cut-off time, voters started visiting the booths to exercise their franchise. Despite their late participation, the polling percentage dipped compared to the previous civic polls.

Even as wards and the number of voters increased, the polling percentage remained low. In the 2021 corporation polls, a 59.41 percent polling percentage was registered.

As this was the first municipal election after the TDP-JSP-BJP combine came to power, candidates expected a rise in the polling percentage. Since the elections coincided with Sunday and a majority of youths refrained from utilising their right to vote, poll participation did not meet expectations.

A total of 56.32 percent polling was recorded in the second general elections of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC)-2026, held on November 1.

Although officials announced a tentative polling percentage of 51.47 percent on Sunday night, they confirmed the figure as 56.32 percent the next morning.

Following the final tabulation of polling figures, GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg informed that 10,35,154 voters out of a total electorate of 18,37,901 exercised their franchise across the 10 zones under GVMC limits.

According to reports submitted by the Zonal Commissioners and Returning Officers, Bheemunipatnam zone recorded the highest voter turnout at 66.27 percent, followed by Anakapalli zone with 65.60 percent and Aganampudi zone with 62.08 percent.

The zone-wise polling percentages included Bheemili – 66.27 percent, Anakapalli zone – 65.60 percent, Aganampudi zone – 62.08 percent, Gajuwaka zone – 60.90 percent, West zone – 58.97 percent, Pendurthi Zone – 55.12 percent, Madhurawada zone – 55.07 percent, East zone – 54.21 percent, South zone – 52.61 percent and North zone – 49.71 percent.

Meanwhile, anxiety grips political parties as they cannot assess which of them will benefit or lose in the polls. While the alliance is confident of winning a majority of wards and the Mayor’s post, the YSRCP also expresses equal confidence in emerging victorious in the local body polls.

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Vasu Potnuru/ Deekshitula Subrahmanyam

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