Amaravati: Making history of sorts, polling in some booths in Andhra Pradesh continued till midnight as the total voter turnout reached nearly 80 per cent, capping hours of tension and clashes that left two dead and scores of others injured.
The polling concluded around midnight in some polling stations in Guntur, Krishna, Nellore and Kurnool districts as authorities allowed all the voters standing in queues at 6 pm to cast their votes.
Malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and clashes led to the delay in about 400 polling stations in different parts of the state.
Tension prevailed in Mangalagiri constituency in Guntur district, where Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s son and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate staged a protest against the failure of election authorities in making proper arrangements. Leaders of opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) staged a counter protest.
Tension was also palpable at a booth in Vijayawada and in Kurnool district due to the clashes between rival groups.
As many as 25 incidents of violence marred polling for simultaneous elections to the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats.
Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi said 74 per cent polling was recorded till 6 pm. He said the overall percentage could go up to 80.
He said he received representations for re-poll in some booths from various parties. The Election Commission will take a decision in this regard after going through the available records, evidence and reports of the poll officials concerned. (IANS)
