Graduates constituency bypoll vote counting underway

Initial trends on Wednesday night indicated a neck and neck battle between Congress candidate Chintapandu Naveen alias Teenmaar Mallanna and BRS candidate A Rakesh Reddy.

Hyderabad: The counting of votes for the Nalgonda-Khammam-Warangal Graduates constituency byelection commenecd on Wednesday, at a godown in Anishetti Duppalpalli godown of Thipparthi mandal near Nalgonda. As the polling was conducted using ballot papers, the results are likely to be declared only after 24 hours i.e. Thursday.

Initial trends on Wednesday night indicated a neck and neck battle between Congress candidate Chintapandu Naveen alias Teenmaar Mallanna and BRS candidate A Rakesh Reddy.

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BJP candidate G Premender Reddy is said to be trailing far behind. In all, 52 candidates contested the bypoll for which polling was held on May 27.

Against a total of 4,63,839 voters registered in the Gradautes constituency spread across 12 districts, the voter turnout was 72.44 percent including 3,36,013 ballot votes and 2,139 postal ballots. The police officials imposed Section 144 and did not allow unauthorised persons within 100 metres of the counting centre.

The ballot boxes from 605 polling stations were opened as per schedule on Wednesday morning and votes were segregated with 25 ballot papers in each bundle.

A total 96 tables have been set up in four counting halls, with each table counting 1,000 votes in each round. The counting of first preference votes is expected to be completed in four rounds by midnight.

Candidate who receives half of the valid votes, will be declared as the winner. However, if there is no clear victory, the winner will be decided through elimination method with candidates having lowest votes in each round being eliminated from the fray in the preferential order.