Local body elections postponed in 590 Gram Panchayats

Hyderabad, Aug 7 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Election Commissioner AVS Reddy today said elections have been postponed in 590 gram panchayats due to heavy rains and floods in the third phase held yesterday.

Talking to newspersons here, he said, in Adilabad district, elections were postponed in 239 gram panchayats in Nirmal revenue division, where the polling was rescheduled on August ten. Poll would be held in 24 gram panchayats in Amalapuram revenue division of East Godavari district on August 10, and in 11 panchayats at Tenalai revenue division in Guntur district on August eight, he added.

Stating that the model code of conduct ceased to be in force with immediate effect, he said it would remain in force only in areas, where the polling was rescheduled, till the completion of election process. The code of conduct shall not come in the way of undertaking relief operations in flood affected panchayats, he added.

Mr Reddy said the elections held in the state were by and large peaceful, except stray incidents in some areas. 75 poll-realted cases were registered in first phase, 53 in second phase and 30 in the third phase.

He said 3,228 Sarpanchas and 63,343 ward members were elected unanimously. 53,885 candidates contested for Sarpanch posts and 3.40 lakh persons for Ward member posts in the gram panchayat elections, he added.

UNI AP KV VD RN2011