All set for Panchayat polls in Vikarabad district

Vikarabad: Uncertainty over reservations for Panchayat elections has been cleared at last. The district administration could finalise the reservation process after long discussion on Saturday night. The details of reservation as per divisions in Tandur and Vikarabad were announced. They gave clear details about reservations in district, mandal and village levels. There are 565 panchayats are in the district. Almost 84 panchayats have complete ST population. Reservations for remaining 481 have been finalised for the coming elections.

As many as 126 panchayats were reserved for BCs and 93 for SCs, 21 for STS. The election mood further intensified after finalisation of reservations. Political parties, aspirants are busy calculating their prospects. On the other hand, the officials are also making arrangements for the coming elections. They are mobilising almost 6,000 staff, who are required for the polls. Due to shortage of staff, the elections are going to be held in three phases. In first phase, elections to 249 panchayats will be conducted and later 168 panchayats and 1,474 wards will go to polls in second phase. Third phase polls will be held for 148 panchayats and 1,300 wards.

The training for election staff has been completed. Almost 167 persons in stage-1 and 628 in stage-2 received the training. Already 3,500 ballot boxes have been arrived and 3,000 more will reach here soon. As much as seven lakh ballot papers for the election of sarpanches and ward members were also printed.