Telangana Panchayat elections: High voter turnout in first phase

Over 84% of eligible voters participated in the first phase of Telangana’s village panchayat elections held on Thursday, according to the State Election Commission (SEC). Out of 5,357,277 registered voters, 4,515,141 cast their votes. Polling was conducted from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., and counting began at 2 p.m.

The elections passed off peacefully, with no major incidents reported, thanks to heavy security arrangements. Additional DGP Mahesh M. Bhagwat stated that all polling stations were classified as critical or normal, and appropriate police deployment was ensured. The SEC noted that elections were held across 4,236 panchayats, including 396 single-member panchayats. Around 13,000 candidates contested for the post of Sarpanch, while 65,455 candidates contested for 27,628 ward seats.

According to the schedule announced by the SEC on November 25, the village panchayat elections are being conducted in three phases - December 11, 14, and 17. Following Congress’ victory in the recent Jubilee Hills by-election, these elections are being seen as a key test of public support for Congress, BRS, and BJP in the state. However, the elections are officially non-partisan. Polling for the second phase is scheduled for tomorrow.