Siddipet: The by-election to Dubbak assembly constituency in Telangana’s Siddipet district held on Tuesday witnessed a turnout of 82.61 per cent voters by the closure of polling, officials said. The by-election to Dubbak was necessitated following the death of sitting TRS MLA Solipeta Ramalinga Reddy.
According to Dubbak returning officer B Chennaiah, the polling percentage which was 81.44 per cent by 5 pm, went up to 82.66 per cent as those who were in the queue by 5 pm would be allowed to exercise their franchise.
Separate arrangements were made for 73 COVID-19 patients to cast their vote in the last one hour to cast their vote.
The constituency recorded a massive 89.85 per cent polling in 2018 Assembly elections. During the 2014 Assembly election, the constituency had recorded 82.6 per cent voting.
No untoward incidents were reported from any part of the constituency across the 315 polling booths. Siddipet district collector Bharathi Hollikeri said the polling went on smoothly. Though there were instances of electronic voting machines developed technical glitches in the morning causing delay for a while, the technicians set them right and polling was resumed immediately.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi candidate Soilpeta Sujatha, widow of deceased MLA Ramalinga Reddy, exercised her franchise at Chittapur village in Dubbak block, while BJP candidate M Raghunandan Rao and Congress candidate Cheruku Srinvas Reddy exercised their franchise at Boppapur and Thoguta villages respectively.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shashank Goel went round 30 villages to oversee the polling pattern.