Polling starts off peacefully in Anakapalle division

Visakhapatnam: Forming long queues, men and women lined up to cast their votes at various polling stations in 12 mandals across Anakapalle division on Tuesday.

After a long gap, the first phase of the panchayat polls started off peacefully in the division.

In mandals like Elamanchili, V Madugula and Chodavaram, women voters constitute 60 per cent of the voters. Many of them arrived at the booths as early as 6:30 a.m. and the voting exercise will continue till 3:30 p.m. on the day one of the elections.

For the first time, voters participating in the panchayat polls get to opt 'none of the above' (NOTA).

All the 12 mandals in Anakapalle division witnessed brisk polling with voters making a beeline to the stations to cast their vote.

Poll percentage was 40.80 per cent till 10:30 a.m. Atchutapuram (51 percent), Butchayyapeta (40.08 per cent), Cheedikada (38.50 per cent), Chodavaram (29.69 per cent), Devarapalli (52 per cent), K. Kotapadu (41 per cent), Kasimkota (35.30 per cent), Madugula (53 per cent).

The poll staff in 3,306 stations were facilitated with masks and sanitisers as a part of the Covid-19 safety protocols.

The counting of votes will commence at 4 p.m. the same day.