A.P. civic polls largely peaceful; Jagan demands repoll in Pulivendula after clashes

Voters wait in a queue outside Polling Station 2 in Ward No. 55 at Rajarajeswari Peta in Vijayawada, where polling began at 9 a.m. following a delay caused by an error in the printing of election symbols allotted to two candidates. | Photo Credit: K.V.S. Giri

Elections to 13 municipal corporations and 79 municipalities and nagar panchayats in Andhra Pradesh ended at 5 p.m. on Sunday without major law and order problems, barring incidents of stone-pelting by cadres of the TDP and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the torching of several vehicles in Pulivendula.

Independent candidate A.B. Venkateswara Rao stages a protest at Polling Station No. 73 in New RR Peta, Vijayawada, on Sunday, demanding a repoll at the booth. | Photo Credit: G.N. Rao

The overall polling percentage across the urban local bodies stood at 48.03 at 3 p.m., according to information furnished by the State Election Commission (SEC), compared with 63.30 in the 2021 elections.

Among the 13 municipal corporations that went to polls, Machilipatnam recorded the highest polling percentage at 55.10, while Greater Visakhapatnam registered the lowest at 39.72.

YSRCP president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy staged a protest in Pulivendula over alleged electoral malpractices and the prevention of YSRCP agents from entering several polling stations.