About 67 per cent polling reported in Atmakuru bypoll in AP

The ruling party workers initially resisted the police attempt but were later sent away from the scene.The by-election is being held to fill the vacancy caused due to the death of then Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy in February.His younger brother Vikram Reddy is the ruling YSR Congress candidate and he is locked in a contest with BJPs G Bharat Kumar Yadav.

Nearly 67 per cent of the 2.11 lakh voters exercised their franchise on Thursday in the by-election to Atmakuru Assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh.

State Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena told PTI here that the polling was conducted peacefully in all 279 polling stations in the constituency.

“Except some minor incidents, the polling went on without any incident of violence, serious complaint and interruption,” Mukesh said.

The polling process concluded peacefully, SPS Nellore district Superintendent of Police Ch Vijaya Rao said.

In Battepadu village in Atmakuru mandal, an Independent candidate T Sasidhar Reddy raised an objection over the alleged campaigning inside a polling station by the ruling YSR Congress activists. He alleged that the authorities were turning a blind eye to it and picked up an argument with police.

Following intervention by senior officials, the issue subsided even as the polling continued unhindered.

The BJP alleged that its polling agent Vishnu was “kidnapped” from a polling station in Krishnapuram village but police denied any such thing happened.

Police tried to disperse a mob of YSRC workers, gathered near a polling station in Padamatinayudu Palli. The ruling party workers initially resisted the police attempt but were later sent away from the scene.

The by-election is being held to fill the vacancy caused due to the death of then Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy in February.

His younger brother Vikram Reddy is the ruling YSR Congress candidate and he is locked in a contest with BJP's G Bharat Kumar Yadav.