77 per cent turnout in local body polls

Polling for 179 ZPTCs and 1,850 MPTCs in the second phase elections concluded in Telangana on Friday, registering an estimated 77 per cent polling. But, the State Election Commission is likely to furnish the final turnout on Saturday.

One ZPTC and 63 MPTCs were elected unanimously in the second phase. In the first phase, about 76.8 per cent voters exercised their franchise. Similar enthusiasm was witnessed among rural voters in the second phase too. About 805 candidates



contested for 179 ZPTC seats and another 6,083 competed for 1,850 MPTC seats across 10,371 polling stations in 180 mandals of 31 districts. The third and final phase will be held in only 27 districts as elections in the remaining five districts concluded.

Polling began at 7 am and ended at 5 pm in all 195 mandals, except for about 218 MPTC seats in left wing extremism-affected areas where it concluded at 4 pm. The polling, held with ballot papers, was in full swing as it began at 7 am.