The Andhra Pradesh Grama Panchayat elections 2021 started from the 9th of February.
The four phased elections for the sarpanches and general wards are scheduled till the 21st of February.
On the 9th of February, polling for the first phase started
The polling began at 6:30 A.M., for as many as 2,723 panchayats and 20,157 ward members in Andhra Pradesh.
The Panchayat Raj Department, on the 8th of February, released a notification regarding the same.
As the elections are being held amid the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19, voters are asked to follow all the guidelines and protocols of COVID-19. The State Election Commission (SEC) made all the necessary precautions for COVID-19 situation with tight security
The polling would continue till 3:30 P.M., in all wards, whereas Maoist areas, the polling would continue till 1:30 P.M.
The counting of votes would begin at 4:00 P.M.
This year, the elections are being held using ballot paper and without any political party symbols.
The major parties contesting the Panchayat elections are the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP.)
Supporters of the YSRCP and the TDP got into a heated argument at K.V., Palem villageVillage of Chimakurthy mandal in Prakasam district.
The TDP supporters alleged the YSRCP supporters of demanding the voters to show the ballot paper before dropping in into the box.
Meanwhile, till 9:30 A.M., 23 % voters turnout was recorded in Srikakulam and 19 % in Kurnool’s Nandyal division.
This time, the SEC also introduced the NOTA (none of the above) option in the election.
Officials would declare the candidates as winners after considering the highest votes without considering the NOTA.
The election results are scheduled to be announced later in the evening.
Stay tuned for further updates.
