Pressmediaofindia
Related Articles
Hyderabad, Jan.1 (PMI): At last, the schedule for Telangana gram panchayat polls was released on Tuesday by State Election Commissioner V Nagi Reddy by issuing a notification. Ballot papers will be used for the village panchayat polls to be held in three phases from January 21, 25 and 30.
Addressing the media here today, Telangana State Election Commissioner V Nagi Reddy said a total of 1,13,390 gram panchayats will go to polls in three phases. Releasing the poll schedule for the gram panchayats across Telangana, he said a total of 12,732 gram panchayats have 1,13,170 wards will be going to the polls which will see the ballot paper voting and not EVMs. The ballot papers will also have NOTA option and the Election Commission has set up 1,13,190 polling stations across 31 districts.
The polling will be conducted from 7 am to 1 pm and announce the results on the same day by counting the votes polled. Nagi Reddy said the first phase of polls will be conducted on January 21, second phase on January 25 and third phase on January 30 respectively. He also informed that 4,480 gram panchayats in first phase, 4137 panchayats in second phase, and 4115 panchayats in the last phase will go for polls.
The general candidates in the fray for Sarpanch post have to pay Rs 2,000 fees and reserved categories have to pay Rs 1,000 for the same. Also the general candidates for ward members have to pay Rs 500 fees and those reserved have to pay Rs 250 only, he said. Poll expenditure with 5000 population is limited to Rs 2.50 lakhs and below 5000 population the expenditure is fixed at Rs 1.50 lakh only. Any violations of poll expenditure will lose the post after the polls, he warned.
Informed sources said the Chief Minister was seeking legal opinion whether to seek more time from the court to conduct the elections and in the meantime might go ahead and issue the ordinance for providing a total of 67 % reservation for BCs, ST and SCs. (PMI)
