Record Voter Turnout in Teacher MLC By-Elections Across Godavari Districts

In a remarkable display of civic engagement, 93 percent polling was recorded in the Teacher MLC by-elections held across the Godavari districts. The by-election took place following the unfortunate passing of Sheikh Salji, who previously held the Teachers MLC position.

While five candidates contested the election, the main competition appeared to be between two frontrunners. Teachers from various unions enthusiastically lined up to cast their votes, expressing solidarity as they supported their preferred candidates. The electoral battle is significant as voters in the newly established districts, including Kakinada, Konaseema, Both Godavari, Eluru, and Alluri, now await the outcome to determine their next MLC.

Polling commenced at 8 AM and continued until 4 PM, with a total of 16,737 teachers eligible to vote at 116 designated polling stations across the six districts. For a candidate to secure victory outright, they must obtain at least 50 percent of the first preference votes. If no candidate achieves this threshold, second preference votes will then be considered.

In the previous election, Sheikh Salji had won under the PDF banner, and this time, the event was conducted with significant anticipation and prestige. Following the conclusion of polling, ballot boxes were transported to Kakinada JNTU for the counting process, which is scheduled to take place on the 9th of this month in the presence of the candidates.

As the results remain eagerly awaited, the high voter turnout signifies the importance and engagement of the teaching community in shaping their representation.