The Kakinada Municipal Corporation elections concluded peacefully, on Tuesday, registering a dismal voting percentage of 61.5. The election results will be announced on September 1.
Elections were conducted for 48 divisions in 192 polling stations, after 12 years. The Corporation has as many as 2,29,373 voters. However, the voter turnout was very poor.
KMC elections were previously held in 2005 and the tenure of that elected body ended in 2010. Since then the corporation has been under special officer regime, The New Indian Express reported.
According to local news reports, voters expressed that the NOTA (None of the Above) was unavailable. However, authorities clarified that the NOTA option is still not being implemented in local municipal elections. Voters also complained of poor amenities provided by the authorities, leading to long waiting queues. Many also said that their names were missing in the electoral rolls. Reportedly, KMC former Mayor Saroja’s name was also missing in the electoral roll.
Mild tension prevailed when YSR Congress Party supporters, complained of violation of election code of conduct after Pithapuram Telugu Desam Party SVSN MLA visited a polling booth. However, police soon swung into action and thwarted the clash between the two groups.
According to reports, the 10th division recorded the highest voting percentage of 80 per cent and fourth division recorded the least with 36 per cent.
District Collector and Election Officer Kartikeya Misra, earlier informed that 17 Returning Officers and 17 Assistant Returning Officers, 196 presiding officers and 196 assistant presiding officers, and another 1,719 election staff had been appointed for the smooth conduct of the elections.
The TDP-BJP combine and YSR Congress Party are contesting in all the 48 divisions, Congress in 17 divisions while CPI and CPM have fielded their candidates in four divisions each.