Telanganas 1st-ever Panchayat Polls begin today

After the formation of the Telangana State, its first-ever Panchayat polls will be held today in the state in three phases to January 23rd. The first phase of polling will be held in 3,071 panchayats today as polling will end in the afternoon and 1 pm and results will be announced by evening.

Meanwhile, 70,094 candidates are contesting for 28,796 wards in 3,701 panchayats across Telangana in the first phase. Interestingly, the election was declared unanimous in 769 panchayats and election in 9 other panchayats have been canceled due to court cases. The State Government will provide Rs. 10 lakh each for development of villages in all the 769 panchayats where sarpanches have been elected unanimously.

On the whole, elections will be held for 4,105 panchayats in three phases. Nearly 1.5 lakh polling staff and 26,000 police personnel have been deployed across the state near polling stations to ensure smooth conduct of the Panchayat polls. Additionally, all political parties are keeping a close watch on the panchayat elections to see their candidates win.



SOURCE: