Kurnool: 647 candidates in fray for 219 sarpanch posts

Kurnool: District Collector G Veera Pandiyan said that the third phase of polling would be conducted in 14 mandals on Wednesday.

He instructed the officials concerned to ensure the polling process and counting of votes are done in a transparent manner. He held a meeting with the special deputy collectors from control room.

Speaking on the occasion, the Collector asked the tahsildars to ensure that there is an improvement in polling percentage. He asked them to coordinate with the special officers for the smooth conduct of polling. He said the counting of votes should be completed before 10 pm. Measures should be taken to see that no recounting is needed.

There should be videography of the counting process at every polling centre. Trainee Assistant Collector Nidhi Meena and DWAMA Project Director (PD) Amarnath Reddy would be deputed to monitor the third phase of polling and counting in Pathikonda mandal, the Collector said.

Later addressing mediapersons, Veera Pandiyan said the third phase of polling was scheduled to be held for 245 gram panchayats in 14 mandals of Kurnool and Adoni divisions. However, 26 sarpanches have been unanimously elected. Now the polling will take place for 219 gram panchayat sarpanches and the candidates in fray are 647.

In all, 4,328 candidates are contesting for 1,959 ward member posts. As many as 4,91,829 voters would exercise their franchise at 2,204 polling centres in the third phase of panchayat polls. Web casting and videography is being done at 605 sensitive and 374 hypersensitive polling centres, stated the district election authority.