Andhra Pradesh orders repoll at 13 polling stations after rigging complaints

Amaravati: Repolling was on in a few polling stations in seven Urban Local Bodies in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. The State Election Commission (SEC) ordered the re-poll in 13 polling stations spread across seven Urban Local Bodies in five district, following complaints of massive rigging during the voting held on Sunday.

Re-polling was being held in eight polling stations in YSR Kadapa district, two in Palnadu district and one each in Anantapur, Tirupati and Prakasam districts.

Re-poll was being conducted in four stations of Pulivendula Municipality, three polling stations of Jammalamadugu Municipality and one polling centre of Kadapa Municipal Corporation.

Tight security arrangements have been made in these Urban Local Bodies to ensure peaceful, free and fair polling.

State Election Commissioner, Anil Chandra Punetha, ordered re-poll in four polling stations of four wards in Pulivendula Municipality, where booth capturing had taken place on Sunday.

He said the election process in the polling stations was vitiated and thereby deprived the voters of the right to exercise their franchise.

After taking all material circumstances into account, the State Election Commission in exercise of the powers conferred under Article 243A of the Constitution of India read with Section 343 (2) (a) of the AP Municipalities Act, 1965 and all other enabling provisions, declared the poll conducted in four polling stations as void and also directed that a fresh poll shall be taken up for conduct of chairperson and ward member elections.

The polling, which began at 7 a.m., will continue till 5 p.m. on Monday. The SEC ordered that in the repoll indelible ink shall be applied on the left middle finger of the voters.

YSR Congress Party President and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had demanded re-poll in all the polling stations in Pulivendula, his hometown. During a visit to Pulivendula on Sunday, he alleged that in 70 out of 80 polling stations, YSRCP agents were either not allowed or were sent out. He alleged large-scale malpractices during the polling and termed it a dark day for democracy.

The SEC ordered re-polling in one polling station of Kadapa Municipal Corporation where booth capturing had taken place during the polling on Sunday.

Re-polling was also ordered in three polling stations of three wards of Jammalamadugu Municipality, where booth capturing had taken place.

The SEC also ordered re-poll in two polling stations of Macherla Municipality in Palnadu district, one polling station each in Anantapur Municipal Corporation, Tirupati Municipal Corporation and Chimakurthy Municipality.

In all the 13 polling stations, 23.62 per cent polling was recorded till 11 a.m.

According to SEC, 60.96 per cent polling was recorded on Sunday in 92 Urban Local Bodies. Out of 96,89,061 voters, 59,06,255 polled their votes.

The polling was held for the ward members of all State Urban Local Bodies and for the posts of mayors of 13 municipal corporations and chairpersons of 70 municipalities.