Kadapa bypolls held smoothly with extra-vigilant EC

The bypolls at the Kadapa constituency, which had a history of violence on the polling day, were held smoothly on Sunday as the Election Commission (EC) took a variety of measures like extra police cover and webcasting of polling process.
   
In the past, booth capturing, rigging and even use of bombs was common on the polling day. But this time the Election Commission deployed a huge posse of police apart from the CRPF, CISF, APSP and AR.

Nearly 9,000 polling officials were present on duty on the polling day. Around 1,500 students of IIIT were roped in for web casting of the polling process. Eleven senior officers were appointed to monitor election proceedings
    
However, no untoward incidents were registered at Kadapa and Pulivendula constituency bypolls. State President of APSRTC Employees Union C H Chandrasekhar Reddy said, "The recent bypoll is the first democratic election I have come across in the last 30 years as politicians are normally seen demoralising the election officials, through false allegations.
      
An advocate and chief advisor of District Election Watch Committee, Sampath Kumar said, “After 1996 general elections,the recently concluded Kadapa bypoll can be hailed as a fair and free election”.