There seems to have been either a flow of liquor despite the security checks or adequate quantities have been stocked by the political parties long ago to satiate the ‘thirst' of voters in the constituency.
This was evident from some voters coming to the booths in an inebriated condition in a few villages on Tuesday.
At Panduru village of Kotauratla mandal, quite a few voters were seen in an intoxicated condition. The police had a tough time asking them not to pick quarrels.
A man, who obviously drowned himself in liquor all through the night on Monday, was allowed into the polling centre by the local police, bypassing the queue, to avoid nuisance.
He seemed to have no control over himself, but managed to walk up to the entrance of the booth. Paramilitary personnel stopped him and sent him back, asking him to come in line. The man walked out saying: “I won't vote, went out, and tore the voter slip.”
A few others, who were drunk, were seen quarrelling among themselves outside the polling station. They were sent away by the police.
At Kodavatipudi village, voters were seen waiting outside one of the booths as the polling staff were having lunch. The voters quickly fell in line after resumption of voting at around 1.45 p.m.
Girl's gesture
At Rajaiahpeta village, a girl was seen supplying drinking water to the voters who were in long queues. She was staying near the polling station and brought the water from her house.
The malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines resulted in the disruption of polling at a few booths by 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Polling resumed after the EVMs were replaced.
At many places, the statues of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy were partly covered with cloth in view of the election, but at some other places there was no such covering on the face though they were quite close to the polling booths.
Old woman's dilemma
A 92-year-old woman Tangella Chinamma was seen being escorted by her son-in-law after she cast her vote at Nakkapalli. “I can't see properly and no one was allowed to assist me. The agent asked me to press the buttons and I did but I don't know to whom I have voted,” she said. Her son-in-law Banda Ganeswara Rao, a weaver, was not allowed to escort her into the booth.
At many places women had to stand in the hot sun as there were no shamiyanas along the queue lines.
