Voter turnout of 84.12% recorded in Krishna district
Women waiting in a queue line to cast their votes in the second phase of panchayat polls at a polling centre at Pamarru in Krishna district on Saturday Photo: Y Vinay Kumar
Vijayawada: Huge turnout was registered in the second phase of village panchayat polls held for 175 village panchayats in Gudivada revenue division in Krishna district on Saturday. The voting percentage recorded in nine mandals of Gudivada division is 84.12 per cent. As many as 2,53,792 voters have cast their votes against total 3,01,718 voters. The polling was held from 6.30 am to 3.30 pm and counting started around 4 pm amidst tight security.
Though the voting started slowly it picked up subsequently. By 8.30 am, 6.71 voting percentage was recorded and it increased to 35.81 per cent by 10.30 a.m. It further increased to 66.64 per cent by 12.30 pm., 76.56 per cent by 2.30 pm and 84.12 percent by 3.30 pm.
Elections were conduced to 175 village panchayats. Of the total 211 village panchayats in Gudivada revenue division, candidates were elected unanimously in 36 village panchayats. Ward members too were elected unopposed in these 36 mandals.
Elections were held for 1,025 panchayat wards and 2,112 candidates were in the fray. In all, 943 candidates were elected unanimously for panchayat wards.
Mandavalli mandal recorded the highest percentage of voting of 88.37. Gudivada rural mandal recorded 84.46 per cent, Gudlavalleru 86 per cent, Kaikaluru 82.11 per cent, Kalidindi mandal 85.40 per cent, Mudinepalli 85.49 per cent, Nandivada mandal 84.16 per cent and Pamarru 78.01 per cent. Krishna District Collector Md Imtiaz along with Joint Collector K Madhavi Latha and Krishna district SP M Ravindranath Babu had monitored the polling since morning through web casting in Gudivada. He announced the polling was peaceful and 84.12 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the second phase of panchayat polls.
Long queue lines were seen since at the polling stations since morning as a large number of voters turned out to elect their sarpanches and ward members. The State Election Commission has arranged 2,008 polling stations and 6,029 polling staff members were drafted for the duty.
Krishna district police under the supervision of SP M Ravindranath Babu kept tight vigil in the villages to prevent any untoward incidents. The SP said two Additional SPs, nine DSPs, 25 station house officers, 65 sub-inspectors of police and 700 constables were deployed on duty.