83.04% polling registered in Tenali division

Guntur: Elections to elect sarpanches for 270 gram panchayats and 2,105 wards in 18 mandals of Tenali division came to end at 3.30pm in Guntur district.

It may be mentioned that 67 sarpanches have been elected unanimously in Tenali division. The GP elections were held on non-party basis.

Police officials said that the first phase of polling for gram panchayat elections held peacefully and no untoward incidents were reported from anywhere and voters' turnout was 83.04 per cent.

Polling started on a dull note and picked up later. Women and old age people, youth formed long queues at the polling centres and exercised their franchise. Police made elaborate security arrangements at the polling centres. Even media persons were not allowed into the polling centres to examine polling process. District election observer Kantilal Dande, district Collector Vivek Yadav, Joint Collector A S Dinesh Kumar, Guntur rural SP Vishal Gunni, Guntur urban SP R N Ammi Reddy, police and revenue officials visited the polling centres and examined the polling process. A polling agent Mastan Basha (44) suffered heart attack at the polling centre at Garikapadu village under Kakamanu mandal. He died while being shifted to the hospital for treatment. A pall of gloom descended on Garikapadu. Meanwhile, a YSRCP leader picked up an argument with the police at a polling centre for few minutes.