Security forces ready for civic polls in Talengana and Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: In what is being described a “pre-final” before the general elections 146 municipalities and 10 municipal corporations in Telangana and Seemandhra will go to the polls on Sunday.

Polling will be held from 7 am to 5 pm. As many as 17,864 contestants and another 3,343 candidates are in the fray for the 3,990 wards in 146 municipalities, and 2,507 divisions (wards) in 10 municipal corporations. There are 67.87 lakh voters in 146 municipalities and another 27.48 lakh voters in 10 municipal corporations.

These municipal polls are crucial for all political parties as they will reflect the mood of the electorate before the polls to the Assembly and Lok Sabha on April 30 in Telangans and May 7 in .

Municipal polls are contested on party basis. However, the suspense over whether the results of municipal polls would be announced on April 2 or not continues.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court is expected to give its decision on the issue on April 1. Elaborate security measures are in place for free and fair conduct of elections.

As many as 53,370 police personnel including 36 additional SPs and 206 DSPs, in addition to 130 platoons of the AP Special Police force and 20 companies of CAPFs have been deployed on election duty. As part of enforcing of the Model Code of Conduct, the police has seized Rs 66.32 crore in cash.