Second phase of Panchayat elections started, as announced earlier, for 6971 Panchayats in the State.  The Election Commission identified 1910 Polling stations as problematic to deal with which the commission made arrangements of CC Cameras to review the situation and take appropriate action.  

Taking the experience in the first phase of Panchayat elections in to consideration, additional forces are deployed in Prakasham, Kadapa and Chittore districts.  The Election Commission said that the additional forces were brought from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.  

So far 906 case were booked and 544 law breakers were arrested in connection with the first phase elections.  155 arms also were confiscated from them.

For the sake of peaceful completion of the second phase of elections, 10000 belt shops were closed.  The Election Commission declared that an amount of Rs.16.81 crores were seized out of which 7.33 crores were seized from Guntur district.

Supporters of Congress and TDP parties clashed at Dommalapadu village Muppalla Mandal in Guntur district before the voting was commenced.  The special party for the elections reached the spot and dispersed the warring parties.

AW will give you updates from time to time on Panchayat elections.

(AW-SriJa)