Polling largely peaceful across eight civic bodies in North Andhra

Polling in eight civic bodies across Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, and Parvatipuram districts of North Andhra Pradesh was conducted peacefully on Sunday, with a few isolated incidents reported. Vizianagaram saw a turnout of 59.64%, while Nellimarla recorded 77.96%. Bobbili, a historic town, had a turnout of 70.33%. The State Election Commission allowed voters who were already in line by 5 p.m. to cast their votes, potentially increasing the overall turnout percentage.

The Vizianagaram district administration expressed concern over the low voter turnout and actively encouraged citizens, especially employees, to participate in the democratic process. The mayoral candidates, TDP Mayor candidate Avanapu Bharagavi and YSRCP Mayor candidate Kolagatla Sravani, along with five others, faced the challenge of low voter turnout. Collector S.Ramsundar Reddy and SP A.R. Damodar visited polling booths to oversee the process and maintain law and order.

Ichchapuram, severely impacted by the Arnab cyclone, recorded a 64.9% turnout, while Palasa-Kasibugga municipality had a 68.33% turnout. In Srikakulam, Collector Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar, along with other officials, reported satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of polling in the flood-affected areas. All 63 polling booths in the district headquarters operated smoothly.

Saluru, an ancient municipality, witnessed a 65.58% turnout by 5 p.m., while Palakonda town registered a 62.4% turnout in the evening. Collector N. Prabhakar Reddy of Parvatipuram-Manyam noted that effective coordination among officials contributed to the smooth completion of the election process, even in tribal areas.