Tight Security in Maoist-Affected Areas; Phase II GP Polls Peaceful
Second phase of gram panchayat elections passes off without incidents
Adilabad: Heavy police deployment was in place in once Maoist-affected areas, and no untoward incidents were reported during the second phase of gram panchayat elections in the erstwhile Adilabad district on Sunday.
MLA Palvai Harish Babu and former minister Jogu Ramanna cast their votes in their respective native villages Rebbena in Bejjur mandal of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district and Deepaiguda village in Jainad mandal of Adilabad district.
Tight police bandobast was provided at polling stations in Kasipet, Vemanpalli, Bheemini, Kannepalli, Tandur, Nennela and Bellampalli mandals in the Mancherial division. Section 163 was enforced in these areas as a precautionary measure.
Police also intensified surveillance at polling stations in interior and previously Maoist-affected mandals, including Kautala, Chinthalamanepalli, Bejjur, Sirpur (T), Dahegaon and Penchikalpet in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.
Elderly voters actively participated in the polling process, with many standing in long queues and some arriving at polling stations in wheelchairs across various parts of the erstwhile Adilabad district.
A keen contest was witnessed among candidates of the Congress, BRS and BJP in the Adilabad Assembly constituency, as sitting MLA Payal Shankar treated the sarpanch elections as a matter of prestige and campaigned extensively for party candidates.
Police registered 27 cases related to violations of the election code in eight mandals where polling was held in the second phase in Adilabad district.
