64% voter turnout in Tirupati byelection

Opposition alleges rigging, demands repoll; ruling party denies charge

Amid Opposition charge of ‘rigging by the ruling YSR Congress Party’ and a surge in COVID-19 cases, polling ended on an acrimonious note with over 64.29% of the electors voting in the by-election, which was by and large peaceful, for the Tirupati Lok Sabha (SC) constituency on Saturday. Coronavirus incidence cast its shadow on the polling which began on a dull note with only 7.80% of the over 17.10 lakh voters exercising their franchise in the first two hours of polling held in adherence to the safety protocol even as EVMs in some stations malfunctioned in the bypoll caused by the death of sitting YSRCP MP B. Durgaprasad. The turnout improved with 36.67% voting by 1 p.m. and 54.99% by 5 p.m., SPSR Nellore District Collector and Returning Officer K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu said. The heatwave sweeping across the constituency brought a good number of voters to the polling stations at dusk and polling continued beyond the deadline of 7 p.m. in some polling stations. In 2019, the constituency recorded over 79% polling.