Andhra Pradesh gram panchayat polls: SEC revises schedule for phase I

Amaravati, Jan 28: The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) has revised the schedule for the first phase of elections keeping in view the fact that the district collectors have not made any arrangements to accept nominations from Monday.

As per the latest schedule, the nominations for the first phase would commence on January, 29 and polling would be held on February 9.

SEC said that the dates fixed for the polling (if necessary) for the II, III and IV phase will remain unaltered.

However, the II phase will become phase-I and phase-III will become phase-II and phase-IV will be treated as phase-III and phase-I had been rescheduled as phase-IV.

The second phase polling would be held on February 13, III phase polling will be held on February, 17. The phase-IV polling would be conducted on February, 21. The counting of votes would be held on the same day immediately after the completion of polling in the afternoon. Polling for all the phases will be held from 6.30 am to 3.30 pm.

According to the last notification issued in Amaravati on Saturday, the elections will commence with the first phase on February 5.

The development comes a day after the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government, vehemently opposed to the conduct of the polls, informed the SEC that the time was not conducive for the exercise.

In the first phase, gram panchayats under 146 revenue mandals in 11 districts will go to the polls, according to the notification.