Hyderabad, Sep 10 - Over 70 percent voters cast their ballot in the bye-election to the Andhra Pradesh assembly from Tekkali constituency in Srikakulam district Thursday.

The polling remained peaceful, Chief Electoral Officer I.V. Subba Rao said here.

According to initial reports, over 70 percent of about 175,000 voters exercised their franchise through 400 electronic voting machines at 233 polling stations.

The bye-election was necessitated by the death of ruling Congress party legislator K. Revatipathy. The ruling party fielded his widow K. Bharati in the bye-election.

Her main rivals are Telugu Desam Party's K. Atchan Naidu, brother of party's senior leader K. Yerran Naidu, and Praja Rajyam Party's Duvvada Srinivas. There are total six candidates in the fray.

The counting of votes will be taken up Sep 14.

Revatipathi, who was elected in April 16 election, died of cardiac arrest June 2, a day before he was to take oath as the legislator.