New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, being revived after a gap of over two decades, went on for poll on Saturday amidst allegations by the opposition about electoral malpractices.
The Council was abolished in 1985 by the then TDP government headed by late N T Rama Rao. The revival of the upper house was one of the key pre-poll promises of the ruling Congress.
The polls were held for 39 seats to represent local bodies, graduates and teachers.
The main Opposition TDP accused leaders of the ruling Congress of offering inducements to voters at several polling booths.
Police lathi-charged to disperse a group of TDP and CPI-M activists at Sattupalli in Khammanm district as they were protesting alleged electoral malpractices by the ruling party.
Chief Electoral Officer Bhaskar said polling was by and large peaceful with no complaints of rigging or bogus voting.
"Only a few complaints have come from Nellore, Khammam and Chittoor districts regarding breach of secrecy," PTI quoted Bhaskar.
With a turnout of about 90 per cent, polling was very brisk in Local Authority Constituencies (LACs). But the response was poor in Graduates' Constituencies which saw about 47 per cent polling while Teachers' Constituencies recorded 64 per cent polling.
The elections were held for 23 seats under the LACs and eight seats each under Teachers' and Graduates' Constituencies.
Five members from LACs have been elected unopposed while polls to three LACs of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts were postponed.
In the next phase, elections to 31 seats under the MLAs' quota will be held on March 22 while 12 members will be nominated by the Governor to complete the formation of the 90-member Legislative Council.
In all, 280 candidates are in the fray for the Graduates' Constituencies, 95 for Teachers' Constituencies while 51 contestants are vying for a berth in the Council from LACs.
The counting for the LAC seats will be held on March 23 while counting for the Graduates' and Teachers' Constituencies will be taken up on March 25.
TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu, who cast his vote in a Graduate Constituency in the city, reiterated his party's opposition to the constitution of the Council. He said he would abolish the Council if TDP was voted to power in the 2009 assembly elections.
"The Council will only serve as a platform to rehabilitate unemployed Congress leaders," Naidu said.
Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy failed to exercise his franchise as he did not register himself as a voter in a Graduates' Constituency. Several ministers and legislators cast their votes in their respective districts.
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