Andhra Pradesh Polling above 80% Huge turnout of women, sr citizens, first-timers

Andhra Pradesh has registered a massive voter turnout in the General Elections held on Monday. Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Meena, addressing a press conference in the evening said 68% voting was recorded as of 5 p.m. but given the fact that the polling was held until 10 p.m. at more than 3,000 booths, the total percentage could well cross 80%.
Mukesh Kumar Meena has affirmed the peaceful conduct of the State’s general elections in 2024, dismissing the necessity for re-polling at any polling centres across the state.
Meena noted that there were no complaints received regarding the voter list.
Acknowledging isolated incidents of violence, primarily in regions such as Palnadu, Tenali, and Macherla constituencies, Meena assured prompt action had been taken. Some technical glitches were reported concerning Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in a few booths, prompting proactive measures with 20,000 additional machines deployed to address such issues.
Preemptive intelligence indicated the likelihood of sporadic violence, prompting heightened security arrangements across identified hotspots. Instances of EVM damage, such as in Macherla, were swiftly addressed with data retrieval efforts and the replacement of affected machines at select centres, obviating the need for re-polling.
Despite delays in approximately 3,000 polling centres, attributed to various reasons, Meena emphasised a significant increase in polling percentages during the current election cycle. Notably, the final polling details are pending completion of the entire polling process.
Monday morning witnessed the commencement of polling across Andhra Pradesh, marked by a generally peaceful atmosphere, punctuated by sporadic incidents of violence in localized areas. Encouragingly, a notable turnout of senior citizens, women, and first-time voters underscored active civic participation.
With a total voter count of 4,14,01,887, inclusive of 2,03,39,851 men, 2,10,58,615 women, and 3,421 transgenders, the electorate will determine the fate of 454 candidates vying for 25 parliamentary seats and 2,387 candidates contesting 175 assembly seats.
Robust security measures were implemented across identified sensitive polling centres, ensuring vigilant monitoring for a peaceful electoral process.
Despite minor incidents of violence, including an unfortunate incident in Punganur and disruptions in various districts, the prompt response of election officials and security personnel ensured the swift resolution of issues, with no loss of life reported. The elections concluded on a positive note, with the democratic exercise proceeding in a largely peaceful manner.