Voting for the maiden election to the Khammam Municipal Corporation got off to a moderate start here on Sunday. Around 33 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 11 a.m.
Though polling began at 7 a.m. by and large on a peaceful note, allegations of distribution of money to voters at the behest of some ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi cadres surfaced in Indiranagar.
The cadres of the Opposition parties including the TDP, YSR Congress staged a protest at Indiranagar under the 22nd division demanding a re-poll.
ADVERTISEMENT
They called off the stir after the authorities assured to inquire into the matter. Around 8 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first two hours. However, it picked up in the next two hours and crossed 33 per cent.
Electronic voting machines developed technical problems in two polling stations in 13 and 26 divisions respectively. However, the election authorities claimed that the EVMs had been functioning smoothly.
For the first time in the State, the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines are being used on an experimental basis in some of the polling stations in the KMC election, officials said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Several first time voters, elderly and physically challenged persons were among the early ones to cast their vote in the maiden election to the KMC at a polling station in the 11th division.
Minister for Roads and Buildings T. Nageswara Rao, Collector D.S. Lokesh Kumar were among those who exercised their franchise in the civic body poll.
The polling is underway in 265 polling stations under the KMC limits to decide the fate of 291 candidates in the fray for the prestigious KMC election.