The polling in urban local body elections began on a peaceful note in 11 local bodies in Anantapur and seven local bodies in Kurnool district and it was very brisk in Anantapur with 11.61% recorded in the first two hours till 9 a.m. The polling percentage in the Kurnool district at 9 a.m. was 10.92.
Police personnel disbursed a large gathering of people by chasing them away with lathis close to some polling stations in the Ramnagar area (Wards 37 and 38) of Anantapur. It was, however, peaceful in the entire district. In Tadipatri town, where restrictions under Section 144 were imposed, no incident was reported till 10 a.m., and Joint Collector A. Siri inspected a couple of polling booths. The police personnel kept a close watch on the movement of people to thwart any untoward incident.
Anantapur Urban MLA Anantha Venkatarami Reddy was one of the first persons to exercise his franchise at 7 a.m. and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidates in Wards 1, 49, and 50 too cast their votes in the first half an hour. Superintendent of Police B. Satya Yesu Babu went round a few booths on Gooty Road.
Transgenders cast vote
Transgenders cast their votes in a group at the Ward No.6 polling booth of Nandyal Municipality in Kurnool district. In some polling booths of Allagadda and Gudur in the district, the polling was beyond 20% in the first two hours. Kurnool Joint Collector S. Ramsundar inspected polling booths in Kurnool town. Anantapur MP Talari Rangaiah was seen casting his vote in Ward No.50 of Anantapur at 9.30 a.m.
