SEC sets stage for final phase of sarpanch polls

Hyderabad: The third and final phase of the sarpanch elections will be held on Wednesday. The State Election Commission (SEC) has made all necessary arrangements for the polling in this final phase.

The final phase elections will be held for 4,159 villages across 182 mandals. According to the SEC, the notified numbers of wards are 36,452, and there are 36,483 polling stations. The total number of voters is 53,06,402, comprising 26,01,861 male voters, 27,04,394 female voters and 140 others. In 11 villages and 116 wards, nominations were not filed due to various reasons.

However, elections were declared unanimous in 394 villages, and the elections were stayed in two villages and 18 wards. With these developments, the elections will be held on Wednesday for 3,752 villages and 28,410 wards.

The number of candidates contesting for sarpanch posts in the final phase stands at 12,652, and the number of candidates contesting for ward members is 75,725.

The SEC has appointed 4,502 Returning Officers (ROs) for these elections and 77,618 polling personnel. The number of Micro Observers appointed is 2,489 (for all three phases), and 3,547 polling stations have been identified for webcasting. A total of 43,856 ballot boxes will be utilised.

The polling will be held from 7 am to 1 pm, and the counting of votes will commence immediately after, from 2 pm.