The Hindu : Front Page : Campaign ends for second phase polls

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Saturday, Jul 01, 2006

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Campaign ends for second phase polls

Special Correspondent

Re-poll in 56 polling stations of 11 districts passes of peacefully

REPOLL SPECTRE: Women standing in a queue to cast their vote at a booth at Devarakonda in Nalgonda district on Friday. - PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

HYDERABAD: The re-poll in 56 polling stations, where election violations were reported during the first phase of local bodies polls in 11 districts on Wednesday, passed off peacefully on Friday.

The re-poll was marked by a huge voter turnout and an equally focussed security arrangement. Meanwhile, the campaign for the second phase polls in 11 other districts on Sunday came to a close.

The State Election Commission (SEC) ordered a re-poll on Saturday under unusual circumstances at a booth at Kalluru village in Prakasam district. There was no problem at this booth on Wednesday except that 2.5 per cent of voters cast `tendered votes'. Their votes had been cast by impersonation.

SEC Secretary G.N. Rao told The Hindu that election rules did not permit tendered votes to exceed 2 per cent of the total voters in a booth. When the district authorities brought the problem to the notice of the SEC late on Thursday night, it was decided to order a re-poll.

There was an unusually low turnout of voters at two polling booths in Anantapur due to local problems. It was said that the villagers of Suddakuntapalli decided to stay away from polling due to rivalry between Congress and TDP. At S. Kodepalli, the villagers abstained in protest against the indifference of administration towards development of the habitation.

Meanwhile, campaign closed for the second phase with the candidates mobilising huge crowds in processions and public meetings. The districts where elections would be held on Sunday are Chittoor, Guntur, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Nellore, Nizamabad, Ranga Reddy, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Warangal and West Godavari.

Elections will be held for 515 ZPTCs and 7,676 MPTCs in these districts. There are 1,846 ZPTC and 21,414 MPTC candidates in the fray.

A clash between Congress and TDP workers was averted on Tirupati - Renigunta road towards the close of the campaign.

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