NELLORE: Polling underway for the by-election to the Atmakur Assembly seat in the Nellore district on Thursday recorded a 44 percent voter turnout till one in the afternoon.

Voting began at all 279 polling stations in the constituency in Nellore district at 7 am amid tight security and will continue till 6 pm.

The voting has been peaceful so far and by 11 am a 24.92 poll percentage was recorded.

With 14 candidates are in the fray for the bypoll, however, the main candidates in contention are the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) candidate Mekapati Vikram Reddy and BJP's G Bharat Kumar Yadav, while BSP’s N Obuleshu, and Indian Muslim League’s Shaik Moinuddin are the others in the contest but don’t have much of a reckoning.

The bypolls were necessitated due to the death of Mekapati Goutham Reddy who died of a heart attack in February. His brother Mekapati Vikram cast his vote in the morning at Brahmanapalle in Marripadu mandal in the constituency along with other family members. A regular stream of voters including women, senior citizens, and the differently-abled were seen eagerly coming and exercising their right to vote amidst tight security.

Also Read: YSR Congress Confident of Retaining Atmakur Seat, BJP on Shaky Ground