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Krishna district records highest turnout with over 85% polling
No untoward incidents reported in 14 mandals of Vijayawada revenue division
Vijayawada: Massive polling registered with 85.37 per cent of voters turned out in the first phase of gram panchayat polls in Krishna district on Tuesday.
Polling was conducted for 211 village panchayats in Vijayawada revenue division amidst tight security.
The voters turned out in a large number and enthusiastically exercised their franchise to elect the sarpanches and ward members. The polling began slowly in the 14 mandals of the division with only 8.31 percent votes registered in the first two hours by 8.30 am. The polling percentage shot up to 43.97 percent by 10.30 am as elderly people came to the polling stations to cast votes as early as possible.
Interestingly, the polling percentage increased to 66.25 percent by 12.30 pm. In the first three hours, two-third voters exercised their franchise. By 2.30 pm, the percentage of voting shot up to 81.12 and by 3.30 pm the total percentage was 85.37.
Vijayawada commissioner of police B Srinivasulu and the Superintendent of police M Ravindranath Babu visited the polling stations and inspected the polling process and security arrangements. Krishna district collector Md Imtiaz inspected the polling through web casting arranged at the camp office.
The officials have arranged 2447 polling stations in 211 village panchayats and more than 7500 staff was drafted for the election duty. The polling was held amidst tight security from 6.30 am to 3.30 pm as announced by the Election Commission on Tuesday.
The polling staff wore the masks and maintained physical distance as per the Covid guidelines. The Election Commission supplied the sanitisers and arranged tents for the convenience of the election staff and the voters. More than 3200 police personnel including the NCC cadets, NSS volunteers, home guards and others drafted for the poll duty.
The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for the voting. The election material was sent to the 2593 polling centres by Monday evening. The voters silently went to the polling stations and cast their votes to choose the sarpanches and ward members. The YSRCP, Telugu Desam Party, Congress, BJP and Janasena combine have extended support to the contestants.
Though the village panchayat polls are apolitical, the impact of politics was clearly visible in the villages. The contestants have got very less time for the campaign. In Nunna village under the Vijayawada rural mandal, the YSRCP leaders divided into two groups and extended support to two candidates for the sarpanch post. The village elders took the elections very seriously and lobbied to win the battle.
Police posted tight security to ensure free and fair elections in the district. Notification was given for 234 village panchayat polls. Candidates were elected unanimously in 23 village panchayats. Now, the elections were held for the 211 sarpanch posts. A total of 545 candidates were in the fray.
A total of 392 candidates elected unanimously for ward members' posts in the first phase. Elections were held for the 2110 wards and 4533 candidates were in the fray.
