The proceedings during the first phase of the ZPTC and MPTC polls were disrupted for sometime at two places in Eluru and Jangareddygudem revenue divisions on Sunday. The suspicion over the alleged rigging at a polling station at Dosapadu of Denduluru mandal in Eluru revenue division triggered a clash between the YSRC and TDP cadres, leading to suspension of polling for well over half an hour.
Scared by the clash, the voters ran helter-skelter. The police chased away the clashing groups and helped restore the polling. Speaking to The Hindu , Collector Siddharth Jain said the embossing of the polling station numbers on the reverse side of ballot papers was construed as rigging for want of understanding.
The polling in Jeelugumilli mandal was suspended for more than seven hours due to the mismatch of electoral rolls and voter slips. The reported goof-up resulted in protests at Darbhagudem and several other places and polling was suspended till 2 p.m. Joint Collector T. Baburao Naidu reportedly set the record straight.
Negligence led to chaosThe authorities brought the electoral rolls meant for the Assembly polls to the polling stations which obviously failed to tally with the voter slips, leading to an utter chaos. Mr. Siddharth Jain admitted that the dereliction of duties on the part of officials was the cause for the trouble . The polling was otherwise peaceful and incident free in West Godavari which recorded a polling percentage of 64.2 by 3 p.m.
