VIJAYAWADA: The Phase II gram panchayat polls on Saturday passed off peacefully with just a few stray incidents. A large number of voters turned out to exercise their franchise, with the average poll percentage recorded being of 81.67.
Polling began sluggishly at 6.30 am but picked up momentum from 10.30 am onwards.
Serpentine queues could be seen at some polling stations in the state. Police personnel were seen helping aged and the differently-abled persons in casting their votes.
According to State Election Commission authorities, polling was held for 2,786 sarpanch and 20,817 ward members’ posts against total 3,328 sarpanch and 33,570 ward member seats, as some of them were either elected unanimously or no nominations were filed at certain places.
The state’s average poll percentage registered was 10.48 at 8:30 a.m., 37.67 at 10:30 a.m., 64.89 at 12:30 p.m., 76.11 at 2:30 p.m. and 81.67 on completion of voting at 3.30 pm.
Prakasam district registered the highest poll percentage of 86.60 while Srikakulam district the lowest 72.87 percent.
Poll percentages registered in other districts include: Vizianagaram 82, Visakhapatnam 84.94, East Godavari 82.86, West Godavari 81.75, Krishna 84.12, Guntur 85.51, Nellore 78.04, Kadapa 80.47, Kurnool 80.76, Anantapur 84.65 and Chittoor 77.20.
Interestingly, AP’s average poll percentage during Phase 1 on February 9 too was 81.67, with Krishna district registering the highest at 85.06 percent polling and Srikakulam the lowest 75.77 percent.
Director general of police Goutam Sawang said though the turnout of voters was relatively higher than Phase 1 polls, the number of untoward incidents reported was very less, as they had taken all necessary security measures.
47,000 security personnel, including 57 platoons of APSP personnel, 20 companies of CRPF personnel and nearly 41,000 civil police had been deployed to ensure peaceful conduct of polls all over the state.
Sawang thanked voters for casting their vote in a peaceful manner.
