RR dist records over 80% turnout in 2nd phase of GP polls
Rangareddy: Three days after recording a record 88.67 per cent polling in the first phase of the ongoing gram panchayat elections in Rangareddy district, the second phase of polling on Sunday also witnessed over 80 per cent turnout, with no untoward incidents reported.
According to official statistics, all seven poll-bound mandals--Amangal, Chevella, Kadthal, Moinabad, Shabad, Shankarpally and Talakondapally--together recorded 85.03 per cent polling by 1:00 pm on Sunday. In these mandals, 178 Gram Panchayats and 1,540 wards were identified for the second phase. Of the 2,27,883 electors registered in the seven mandals, 1,94,375 voters cast their votes at various polling stations during Sunday’s phase. The district administration set up 1,540 polling stations and made all necessary arrangements to ensure peaceful polling.
Among the mandals, Amangal topped the list with 90.21% polling, followed by Talakondapally (88.37%), Kadthal (86.73%), Shankarpally (85.97%), Moinabad (84.11%), Chevella (83.11%) and Shabad (82.22%).
In the first leg of polling held on Thursday, seven mandals--Farooq Nagar, Shamshabad, Kothur, Nandigama, Keshampet, Kondurg, and Jilled Chowder Guda--went to polls for 174 Gram Panchayat seats and 1,530 wards, recording a peaceful 88.67 per cent turnout.
Of the total 526 Gram Panchayats and 4,668 wards in the district, polling has been completed in 352 seats, including a few unanimous elections of sarpanches and ward members.
The final phase of polling is scheduled for December 17 in the remaining mandals: Abdullapurmet, Ibrahimpatnam, Yacharam, Manchal, Madgul, Maheshwaram, and Kandukur, under Ibrahimpatnam and Kandukur revenue divisions. For this phase, 1,612 polling stations have been identified.
Meanwhile, Collector and District Election Officer C Narayan Reddy, IAS, along with senior officials, visited several polling stations on Sunday to monitor arrangements and the polling process. The Collector visited Kanakamamidi, Kethireddypally, Mudimyal, Pothgal, Shahbad, and Sardar Nagar polling stations and examined the list of sarpanches and ward members contesting for the respective vacant seats.
