Clashes in Jagan’s Pulivendula mar otherwise peaceful polling in AP urban local body elections
Amaravati, Nov 1 (TNT): Polling for urban local body elections across Andhra Pradesh ended at 5 pm on Sunday, with clashes between ruling TDP and YSRCP activists in Pulivendula, the home turf of former Chief Minister and YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, marking the major flashpoint in an otherwise largely peaceful exercise.
Stones were pelted in some wards and several vehicles were set on fire in Pulivendula hours before polling began.
Jagan staged a sit-in outside the Returning Officer’s office, demanding repolling across the town, but left without casting his vote.
State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha said the Commission had accorded top priority to maintaining law and order and had sought a report from the Kadapa District Collector on the incidents in Pulivendula.
Addressing a press conference at the State Election Commission office, he said 275 FIRs had been registered by the police in connection with 40 incidents reported across the state. Repolling, if required, would be held on November 2.
The Commission had held review meetings with District Collectors, Superintendents of Police, Police Commissioners, Deputy Inspectors General and election observers to ensure peaceful polling, he said.
The Commission had also received complaints and representations from representatives of various political parties and was coordinating with the police department and district authorities to ensure appropriate action, Punetha added.
According to preliminary information received from the districts, polling stood at 48.03 per cent as of 3 pm. The final turnout would be worked out after polling staff deposited ballot boxes and other election material at reception centres and the votes recorded at each polling station were verified.
By 5 pm, polling was recorded at 51.40 per cent in Guntur, 51.84 per cent in Kurnool, 59.64 per cent in Vizianagaram, 45.26 per cent in Tirupati and 49 per cent in Vijayawada.
The final statewide polling percentage would be announced on Monday, he said.
The counting of votes would be taken up on November 3.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Rajakumari said around 40 incidents had been reported in connection with Sunday’s polling and 275 FIRs registered.
The police were examining all incidents and registering cases wherever criminal offences were established. Investigations had been initiated, and some accused had been identified and arrested. Appropriate action would be taken in every case in accordance with law, she added.
TNT KM
