The voting for the first phase of the three-tier Panchayat elections started on Monday morning in 53 development blocks across all 33 districts in Chhattisgarh. As many as 57,99,660 voters, which includes 28,70,859 men, 29,28,751 women and 50 third-gender individuals are able to exercise their franchise in the first phase, the officials said.
Speaking about the poll preparations, the officials on Sunday said, “All preparations have been made for the first phase of the polling for posts of 27,210 ward panch, 3,605 sarpanch, 911 janpad panchayat members and 149 posts of Zila panchayat members."
Panchayat elections at three levels
Panchayat elections are held at three levels in the state. These include Gram Panchayat, Janpad Panchayat (Block) and Zila Panchayat (District). In the first phase, 60,203 candidates are in the fray for Ward Panch, 14,646 for Sarpanch, 4,587 for Janpad Panchayat members and 702 for Zila Panchayat members. Due to the Naxal threat in the Bastar division, which has seven districts, the voting time will be from 6.45 am to 2 pm, while at other places voting will be from 7 am to 3 pm.
Voting using ballot paper underway
Additional security arrangements have been made at polling stations in Naxal-affected areas of Bastar and patrolling has been increased. Voting for the second and third phases is to be held on February 20 and February 23. The ballot paper will be used for voting. Counting of votes will be done at the respective polling stations immediately after the votes are cast in each phase. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a landslide victory in the recent urban body elections in the state. The results were announced on Saturday. The BJP won mayor posts in all ten municipal corporations.
(With PTI Inputs)