Final phase of local polls record 76%

Hyderabad: The polling for the third and final phase elections to the Zilla and Mandal Parishads ended on Tuesday peacefully.

According to the officials of the State Election Commission, 70 per cent polling has been recorded till 3 pm on Tuesday. It may reach up to 76 per cent after the announcement of the final poll percentage figures.

The third phase polling was held to elect 538 Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies and 5,857 Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies. Out of the 538 ZPTCs there were unanimous elections in three and about 150 MPTCs.

On an average, 76 per cent of polling has been recorded in the three phases of the polling being held on May 6, 10 and 14. About 1.18 crore rural voters have exercised their right to vote. The poll process had begun on April 22.

As the polling process has come to an end the officials and the political parties have turned their attention towards the counting of the ballots to be taken up on May 27.

The State Election Commission would establish counting stations and would appoint staff for this purpose in this week. It would train the staff in the counting process. The political parties have been preparing the list of agents to be sent to the counting.

Most of the districts have seen more than 70 per cent polling in the three phases. The women have turned out in big numbers for the polling. Except in few places the polling went off peacefully.

In two polling stations the polling was deferred as wrong ballot papers have been used.