A victory for democracy as people jostle to vote

Vikarabad: Panchayat polls in the district have witnessed a huge turnout of voters, which resulted in 83 per cent polling in all the phases. First and second phase polls saw 82.39% and 83.69% turnout respectively, while there was 83.69% in the final phase. Parigi mandal has recorded the highest voting with 89.625, and Basheerabad recorded 75.68% polling.There are total 565 panchayats in the district in which 249 GPs in the first phase 168 in the second phase was seen polling while 148 GP elections were conducted as part of final phase polls.

A total of 4, 62,343 people cast their vote in which 2, 33,061 were male voters and 2, 27,282 were female. Elections in Kodangal and Tandur constituency villages have been conducted as part of first phase polls while villages under Vikarabad and Parigi constituency limits were conducted in second and third phase consecutively. Voters thronged to polling stations from 7 am and people who stay in different cities traveled all the way to cast their votes.

Officials made all necessary arrangements to ensure polling free from irregularities. Police beefed up the security at polling stations and conducted checks to prevent the distribution of liquor and money. They identified sensitive areas in the district and had thrown up tight security. A voter Venkatamma from Mittakodur village had died after casting her vote in the polling station. Except some minor incidents, polling and subsequent counting in all three phases had ended peacefully.