High turnout, clashes mark polling in Seemandhra

Millions poured into polling stations to choose their representatives from 25 Lok Sabha and 175 assembly seats in Seemandhra region of Andhra Pradesh as high turnout and sporadic clashes marked Wednesday's balloting. Around 20 people were injured in clashes between activists of rival parties.

Polling came to an end in two Maoist affected assembly constituencies at 4 p.m. and in eight other constituencies at 5 p.m. In the remaining assembly constituencies, the polling will end at 6 p.m.

Over 63 percent polling was recorded till 3 p.m.

Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal said those standing in the queues even at 6 p.m. would be allowed to cast their votes.

West Godavari and Guntur districts recorded highest polling at 67 percent. Visakhapatnam district registered lowest polling at 57 percent.

Bhanwarlal said five unknown people damaged two Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in a polling centre in Paderu constituency in Visakhapatnam district. The attackers also damaged a government vehicle. "We have recommended to the Election Commission to order repolling," he said.

Six people were injured in a clash between YSR Congress Party and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) activists in Parachur in Prakasam district.

Three police vehicles were damaged in an attack by villagers in Devagudi in Jammalamadugu of Kadapa district. Inspector General of Police Surender Babu said two policemen were injured in the attack. He said some police officials who were returning after visiting some polling centres were also assaulted.

He said the officials were targeted by some people as they had ensured presence of polling agents of all the parties at few polling stations.

Clashes were also reported from Anantapur, Chittoor and Guntur districts. Details about the other injured were not immediately known.

Director General of Police Prasada Rao said polling was peaceful barring minor incidents in some places.

Long queues were seen since early morning at most of 40,709 polling stations in 13 districts.

As many as 36.76 million people were eligible to vote in nine districts in coastal Andhra and four in Rayalaseema.

Seemandhra, as the two regions are together called, will come into being as a separate state of Andhra Pradesh June 2 with the formation of Telangana.

As many as 335 candidates are in the fray for the Lok Sabha while 2,241 contestants are testing their political fortunes in the assembly polls.

Over 100,000 police personnel and 272 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed as part of the security arrangements.

Poll officials are keeping tight vigil in certain areas notorious for electoral malpractice.

-PTI