Hyderabad, Feb 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Over 73 per cent of voters cast their ballots in the municipal elections held in 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in Telangana on Wednesday.
The State Election Commission (SEC) said that a voter turnout of 73.01 per cent was recorded across the 123 urban local bodies.
Polling, which began at 7 a.m. at 8,191 polling stations, concluded at 5 p.m. However, those standing in queues at 5 p.m. were permitted to cast their votes.
A total of 52,17,413 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in 2,981 wards across the 123 urban local bodies. According to the SEC, 38,09,406 voters cast their votes.
The voter turnout in municipalities stood at 75.88 per cent, while in municipal corporations 66.05 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise.
Enthusiasm marked polling in the municipalities and corporations, as senior citizens, persons with disabilities and patients came out to cast their votes.
The SEC had deployed over 43,000 polling staff for conducting the polling process. Webcasting arrangements were made at all polling centres.
State Election Commissioner Rani Kumudini said the final polling percentage would be known only after receiving reports from all the municipalities and corporations.
Sporadic incidents were reported from Medak, Narsapur and Karimnagar districts. Workers of the BRS and the BJP clashed in Medak and Nalgonda over allegations of rigging.
In Sangareddy, Congress leader and former MLA Jagga Reddy entered a polling booth after a police officer allegedly held a Congress candidate by the collar. The former MLA threatened to stop the polling process. The scuffle between supporters of Jagga Reddy and police personnel created tension near the polling station.
In Karimnagar, police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse a group of BJP workers who were staging a protest over alleged electoral malpractices. The saffron party alleged that some of its workers were injured. Protesting the alleged high-handedness of the police, BJP workers blocked the road.
The political fortunes of 12,944 candidates were sealed in the ballot boxes.
Polling was held for 2,569 wards in 116 municipalities. Twelve candidates in nine municipalities have already been elected unopposed.
The SEC postponed polling for a ward in Makthal municipality in Narayanpet district following the suicide of a BJP candidate on Monday night.
A total of 10,719 candidates were in the fray in the 116 municipalities. They include 2,358 candidates of the ruling Congress party, 2,478 of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and 2,252 of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Officials said 6,017 polling centres were set up for voting in the municipalities.
Polling was held in 412 wards in seven municipal corporations. Candidates in two wards in Mahabubnagar and Ramagundam have been elected unopposed.
Authorities had set up 2,174 polling centres in the seven corporations. As many as 2,225 candidates were in the fray in these corporations. They included 410 candidates of the Congress, 401 of the BRS and 382 of the BJP.
Repolling, if any, will be held on Thursday, while counting of votes will be taken up the following day at 136 centres.
Municipal chairpersons and vice-chairpersons will be elected on February 16.
Source: IANS
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