Polling goes off peaceful in Adilabad

Voters dwelling in remote parts of the four districts utilised their right to vote by trekking longer distances.

Adilabad: Barring sporadic incidents of dysfunctional Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) caused by technical glitches, the polls to 10 Assembly constituencies in erstwhile Adilabad district went off peacefully on Thursday.

Electors belonging to all walks of life made a beeline to polling stations since 7 am. They formed serpentine queue lines and cast their votes. Necessary arrangements such as drinking water facility, first aid kits and wheel-chairs for physically challenged persons were provided at the stations. Students of degree colleges volunteered to staff to conduct the polls.

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Voters dwelling in remote parts of the four districts utilised their right to vote by trekking longer distances. Persons with disabilities actively exercised their franchise. Those who migrated to Hyderabad and other cities in search of livelihood returned to their native places. Two elderly persons died when they were waiting in queue lines for their turn in Adilabad town.

Electors were forced to wait for quite long when an EVM did not function at a polling station in Rebbena mandal centre. However, officials concerned swung into action and addressed the problem, enabling the electors to cast their votes. A voting machine developed technical error, stalling the process of voting for a brief period. It was replaced by a functional one.

Meanwhile, Forest minister Allola Indrakaran Reddy cast his vote at a polling station at native Ellapalli village in Nirmal mandal. Government whip Balka Suman exercised his franchise at a polling station in Kyathanpalli village in Mandamarri mandal. The first elector of Telangana Athram Rambabai registered vote at Malini village in Sirpur (T) mandal of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district.

Collector PS Rahul Raj along with his wife Srija and trainee collector Vikas Mahatho exercised their franchise at a polling station created in DIET College ground in Adilabad. BRS nominee Jogu Ramanna cast his vote at his native place Deepayiguda in Jainath mandal. He sought electors to give their mandate to the BRS for continuing the growth of the state.