As expected, the State Election Commission of Telangana has announced the schedule for the much anticipated rural local body polls. Retired IAS Rani Kumudini, who is the current Election Commissioner of the state, held a press meet in Hyderabad just a while ago and informed that the local body polls, including Gram Panchayat, ZPTCs and MPTCs will be held in five phases starting from October 23rd to November 8th. She also announced that the model code of conduct comes into effect immediately.
The Gram Panchayat elections will be held in three phases and MPTC and ZPTC elections would be held in two phases. The SEC stated that the election notification will be issued on October 9 and polling will be held in all 31 districts covering 565 mandals, with elections to 5,749 Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) and 565 Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs). The Commission also declared that ballot boxes and papers will be used for polling. A total of 1.67 crore rural voters, including 81.65 lakh men, 85.36 lakh women and 504 others, are eligible to exercise their franchise.
The first phase of Gram Panchayat elections will be held on October 31 and counting will be held the same day. The nominations can be filed from October 17. Candidates can withdraw their nominations before October 23.The second phase elections will be held on November 4 and results will be declared the same day. Nominations can be filed on October 23 and last date for withdrawal is October 27.Similarly, the third phase elections will be held on November 8 and results will be declared the same day. Nominations can be filed before October 28 and last date for withdrawal is October 31.
Also, the elections to MPTCs and ZPTCs will be held in two phases. The first phase elections would be held on October 23 and counting of votes would be on November 11. The second phase elections would be on October 27 and counting of votes would be done on November 11. Nominations would be accepted from October 9th onwards.
The ruling Congress party and the Opposition BRS party have already begun preparations for these high stakes poll battle as the outcome will define the mood of the voters in rural areas who form a considerable chunk of the population in the state.
