ZPTC and MPTC elections are going on peacefully in Guntur region

The Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) and Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency (MPTC) elections in Guntur district ended peacefully at 5:00 pm on Thursday, with nearly 63% voter turnout recorded till 3:00 pm. The final voting percentage will be announced later, authorities said.

Polling began at 7 am in 724 polling stations in the district. District Collector and District Election Officer CM Saikanth Varma inspected the arrangements at Lalpuram village in Guntur Rural mandal and interacted with voters and polling staff.

In an interview to the media, he said that by 9:00 a.m., voter turnout was recorded at 6.02% and by 11:00 a.m. it had increased to 23%. Elections were held in 13 ZPTCs and 193 MPTCs. He said that sufficient security and facilities are provided in all polling stations.

Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal said the polling ended without any untoward incident. Elaborate security measures were put in place under the supervision of the Special Branch, with mobile teams, strike forces, special strike forces and polling station commanders working in coordination.

The SP inspected the sensitive polling booths at Dokiparru in Medikonduru mandal and Ponugupadu and Gollapalem villages in Phirangipuram mandal. He monitored the investigation from the police control room using webcast, video, drones and the Samarth app.

Police officers were instructed to prevent unauthorized gatherings, campaigns and attempts to influence voters near polling stations. Bans were enforced around all polling stations.

Despite minor weather and traffic-related difficulties caused by Cyclone Murasu, police officers reached their assigned locations and fulfilled their duties.

Voting in Palnad is peaceful

Meanwhile, the ZPTC and MPTC polls in Palnadu district were largely peaceful, with over 58% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm. Voters exercised their right to vote in 576 polling stations.

Collector Kritika Shukla verifies voter slips at a polling station in Palnadu district on Thursday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

District Collector Krittika Shukla inspected the arrangements at Kubadpuram in Rajupal Mandal and Dechavaram in Nakarikallu Mandal. She also inspected the polling booth at Zilla Parishad High School in Chaganti Vari Palem, Muppalla mandal, where women brought their grievances to her attention.

Police and revenue officials clarified that polling in Chaganti Vari Palem went on peacefully and no untoward incident took place during the Collector’s visit. They urged voters not to believe “distorted news”.

Joint Collector Sanjana Sriharsha inspected the polling booth at Brahmanapalli in Piduguralla mandal while Superintendent of Police Jagadish Adahalli visited Muppalla.

The SP told The Hindu that minor altercations were reported in Sattenapalli, Piduguralla, Macherla, Muppalla and other places. Strike forces intervened and restored order. Officials said assistance, drinking water, shade, queues and basic facilities were provided at the polling stations. Elderly and differently-abled voters were provided with wheelchairs and other assistance.

Voting continues till 19:30 at Bapatla

Bapatla district recorded a provisional voter turnout of 66.26% in the MPTC and ZPTC elections, with voting going on peacefully. The percentage is likely to increase as reports from some polling stations were awaited when the last report came in.

Voters stood in line at the polling stations even after the scheduled time. Chairs issued tokens to those waiting in queues, allowing them to exercise their privileges. As a result, voting continued in several centers till 7.30 pm

Collector V. Vinod Kumar verifies ballot papers at a polling booth in Bapatla district on Thursday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

The district recorded 9.49% polling between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM, which increased to 25.73% by 11:00 AM. Voter turnout rose to 39.80% by 1pm and 50.20% by 3pm, reaching 66.26% in the final preliminary update.

District Collector V. Vinod Kumar inspected polling stations in Pullayapalem and Devinuthala villages of Chirala mandal and Vetapalem mandal headquarters. He asked about election conditions, voter participation and equipment provided to voters.

He inspected the command room at the Collectorate and directed the officials to maintain strict surveillance through CCTV cameras, webcast and video footage. He emphasized the need for safe transport of ballot boxes to security rooms and continuous monitoring of vehicles on designated routes.

Superintendent of Police B. Uma Maheswara Rao watched the election from the command and control room. He said the Samarth mobile app has enabled police personnel to respond quickly to incidents. Live locations of police personnel were monitored, while SOS alerts helped nearby patrols and strike teams reach locations within minutes.

Published – 05 Nov 2026 20:59 IST