Polling peaceful in ten Assembly constituencies in erstwhile Khammam

73.77 percent voting was recorded in Khammam while 66.37 percent voting was recorded in Kothagudem at 5 pm

Khammam: Polling in ten Assembly constituencies of erstwhile Khammam district has been peaceful barring minor incidents.

73.77 percent voting was recorded in Khammam while 66.37 percent voting was recorded in Kothagudem at 5 pm. As voters who entered the polling stations before the closing time were allowed to cast their vote the overall polling percent might increase.

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The district administrations of Khammam and Kothagudem districts made elaborate arrangements to conduct polling in a smooth and peaceful manner. Voters started arriving in large numbers at the polling stations at 7 am to cast their votes.

Khammam district Collector VP Gautham and Kothagudem district Collector Dr. Priyanka Ala monitored the polling process from control rooms set up at the respective integrated district offices complexes (IDOCs). They also inspected the polling process at several polling stations.

In Khammam 10.68 percent and in Kothagudem 8.33 percent voting was recorded, by 11am it was 26.03 percent in Khammam while in Kothagudem it was 22.04 percent. By 3pm 63.62 percent voting was recorded in Khammam and 58.39 percent voting was recorded in Kothagudem.

In Khammam, the highest voter turnout was recorded in Sathupalli constituency as 79.20 percent of voters cast their vote. In Kothagudem, the highest turnout of 71.80 percent was recorded in Aswaraopet constituency.

Confusion over placement of ballot units delayed polling at Saraswathi Shishu Mandir polling station in Kothagudem. Polling was delayed due to EVMs malfunctioning at some polling stations at Yellandu, Tekulapalli, Cherla and Gollagudem in Kothagudem.

The voters of Satyampet village of Sathupalli mandal boycotted polling complaining that their village was not developed and voters of Rajulapalem in Enkoor mandal refused to vote demanding basic facilities in the village in Sathupalli constituency.

Demanding to lay a BT road, the voters of Nallabandabodu thanda of Julurpad mandal of Kothagudem district boycotted voting. The mandal falls under Wyra Assembly constituency of Khammam district.

Similarly in Lakshmipuram of Laxmidevipalli mandal in Kothagudem district voters boycotted polling demanding podu pattas. Officials convinced the villagers to cast their votes while assuring them to address their issues.