Counting of votes for the prestigious Tirupati Lok Sabha seat bypoll has commenced. Arrangements for counting of votes, adhering to strict covid protocols, have been made at the SV University and DKW College premises in Tirupati, and Nellore respectively.

Nellore district collector, and returning officer for the Tirupati Lok sabha bypoll VN Chakradhara Babu said while counting agents must wear PPE kits, counting staff must duly wear face-shield and masks while conducting their duties.

To be permitted entry to the counting halls, candidates, agents or media personnel, should have had the two vaccine doses, or undergo RT-PCR / RAT test, he said.

Tirupati Lok Sabha bypoll was necessitated by the death of the YSRCP's Balli Durgaprasad in September 2020.

The SC reserved constituency with around 15 lakh voters, comprises of seven assembly segments, namely Tirupati, Satyavedu, and Srikalahasti in Tirupati district, and Gudur, Sarvepalli, and Sullurpeta in Nellore district.