Andhra Pradesh MLC polls: Voting begins amid tight security arrangements

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 13 (ANI): The elections for the Member of Legislative Council (MLC) seats in Andhra Pradesh started in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam on Monday morning.

The polling is being held from 8 am to 4 pm, through the ballot system, the officials said. Meanwhile, YSRCP candidate Seethramraju Sudhakar cast his vote at booth number 251 in Visakhapatnam. BJP Rajya Sabha MP GVL Narsimharao cast his vote at 225 along with his wife in Visakhapatnam.

Visakhapatnam District Collector and returning officer Dr A Mallikarjuna said that voters can cast their ballots from 8 am to 4 pm on Monday.

“Arrangements have been done for webcasting at all the 331 polling stations. Polling material was sent to the districts. Counting will be done on March 16,” he said.

Earlier on Sunday, the officials had said that the security arrangements are in place for the elections.

Talking to the media, the Tirupati District Collector Venkataramana Reddy told the media, after inspecting the polling booths in Padmavati Degree College, that all precautions have been taken to ensure that no untoward incidents take place during the polls.

“There are 138 polling booths in the district where two ballots are provided for each box and booth. The voters will exercise their right to vote without any issue. All the steps have been taken to make sure that no one is able to do fake voting,” he said.

Earlier, the Godavari sub-collector Surya Teja told the media, “Ahead of the MLC elections to be held on Monday in Narasapuram sub-division of West Godvaari district, the necessary arrangements are in force.

He said that there are a total of 229 voters in this sub-division.

“All 229 voters will exercise their right to vote in the polling booth set up by Narsapuram Mandal Parishad. Only the voters will be allowed inside, and the rest will have to stay away from the barricades placed so that they are 100 metres away from the polling booths,” he said.

The sub-collector also said that the ballot boxes will be moved to Eluru after the polling is done.

“In this polling booth, MLAs from Narasapuram Palakollu Achanta Tanuku constituency along with ZPTCs from Mogalthur, Narasapuram, Yalamanchili Palakollu Rural, Poduru, Achanta, Penugonda, Iragavaram, Tanuku mandals and Narasapuram councillors will vote,” he further said.