88 per cent voter turnout in Nagarjuna Sagar by-poll

The poll percentage increased slightly in the by-elections with about 88 poll percentage when compared to 86.82 poll percentage reported in the 2018 Assembly elections

Nalgonda: Polling of by-elections to Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly constituency concluded peacefully on Saturday. The poll percentage increased slightly in the by-elections with about 88 poll percentage when compared to 86.82 poll percentage reported in the 2018 Assembly elections.

As many as 41 candidates were in the poll fray for the Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly constituency comprising around 2.2 lakh voters. From 7 am onwards, the voters appeared waiting in the long queues at the polling station to exercise their franchise. Considering the number of 41 candidates, the officials used three ballot units connected to the one controlling unit and a VVPAT machine for each polling booth.

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After 12 noon, the polling percentage had slowed down due to the scorching sun. The polling stations witnessed huge increased in number of voters after 3 pm as the polling time was extended up to 6 pm for general voters. The polling continued up to 7 pm as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the polling time by two hours in compliance with Covid-19 guidelines. About 36 Covid-19 patients had cast their votes in the bypolls at the polling stations between 6 pm and 7 pm as per the ECI norms.

All the contestants including TRS candidate Nomula Bhagath, Congress candidate K Jana Reddy and BJP candidate Dr P Ravi Kumar Naikm have exercised their voting rights. Bhagath exercised his franchise at 168/A polling booth in Amandal Parishad Upper Primary School at Ibrahimpatnam.

Polling was delayed for few minutes due to technical problems at polling booth number 137 at Thotipeta in Tirumalgiri(Sagar) mandal.

After completion of polling process, the polling staff sealed the EVMs and shifted them to godowns of Telangana State Watehouse Corporation located at Arjalabavi on the outskirts of Nalgonda town, amid tight police security. The counting of the votes would be taken up on May 2.

The entire election process was conducted in adherence to the Covid-19 norms including physical distancing and hand sanitisation. Only those wearing masks were allowed to enter the polling booth premises.

The district authorities have taken up special care for implementation of Covid-19 norms at all 346 polling stations. Circles were drawn up for queueline at the polling station to ensure physical distancing by the voters. Masks were also distributed to the voters by the deputed medical staff at the polling stations. In addition to this, they were checked the voters with hand held thermo scanners and also ensured the sanitisation of every voter.

CEO inspects polling process

Chief Electoral Officer Shashank Goel on Saturday visited the polling stations at Nagarjuna Sagar town and Kothapally of Anumula mandal and examined the polling process in  Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly Constituency.

Along with the elections observers, he visited polling stations in model school at Pylan colony and polling station of government junior college at Hill colony in Nagarjuna Sagar municipality and a polling station in government high schools  of Kothapally in Anumula mandal.

He has also expressed satisfaction over the measures taken for implementation of COVID norms at the polling stations. The polling of by-election to Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly constituency were incident free and conducted peacefully.

Additional District Collector (Revenue) V Chandrasekhar, elections observer(general) Sajjan Singh and others were also accompanied the Chief Elections Officer.

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