Group clashes mar II phase Gram Panchayat elections in AP

Hyderabad, Aug 2 (UNI) Sporadic incidents of violence marred the second phase of elections in 6923 gram panchayats which witnessed an impressive voter turnout of 79.80 per cent today.

Police fired in the air at three places in faction-prone Kadapa and Anantapur in the Rayalseema region, while the supporters of ruling Congress and TDP clashed, hurling bombs at each other in three places in Prakasam and Guntur districts of the Coastal Andhra region, police said.

Repoll was ordered in 10 villages in five districts following electoral malpractices such as pouring of ink/water into ballot papers and snacting of ballot papers and ballot boxes during the polls also for 75612 wards in 28 subdivisions in 22 districts, State Election Commission sources said.

A very high voter turnout of 90.58 per cent was registered in Khammam district, while a low of 71.9 per cent in Karimnagar district, they said, adding that a polling perecentage of more than 80 per cent was recorded in as many as 18 districts.

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