Landmine blast, firing marks third phase of local polls

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, AUG. 20. The third phase polling which was held on Monday for 7,081 villages and 68,419 wards in 22 districts bringing the gram panchayat elections to a close was marked by a landmine blast at Vempicherla resulting in nine casualties, an incident of police opening fire in the air at Chundi, in Guntur and Prakasam districts respectively, and some stray cases in other areas.

Voting took place to the tune of 77.23 per cent with Cuddapah topping the list with 85.4 per cent. Krishna and Nalgonda districts ranked second each with 83 per cent and Nellore emerged third with 82 per cent. Warangal remained at the bottom with 62 per cent.

The polling was officially described by the State Election Commission as peaceful barring a few minor incidents, including the aforesaid two. The counting of votes began from 2 pm and results were made known within a short time after at many places. For varied reasons, including trouble caused by miscreants, polling could not take place at some places and the Commission ordered repolling for them to be held on August 25--from 7 am to 1 pm.

Reports received by the SEC Secretary, Mr D. R. Garg, indicated that Prakasam district accounted for the largest number of incidents, all minor. Police opened fire in the air to disperse clashing groups at Chundi village in Valletivaripalem mandal. At Nagireddipalem in Ponnaluru mandal, clashing groups attacked a police station and polling was stopped for sometime. Clashes were also reported from Mangapuram and Rajanagaram in Konikamitla and Tallur mandals leading to temporary stoppage of the voting. There were many ballot-related offences. Miscreants poured ink into the ballot-boxes in the 6th ward at Kotapadu and in 12th ward of Vulavapadu and water at booths no 1 and 3 wards of Kandriga in Jarugumilli mandal.

In Srikakulam district, the process suffered for sometime when the miscreants poured ink into the boxes at Kuchivadipalli and Kumarapuram.

In Vizianagaram district, polling personnel could not reach three inaccessible villages--Chinageesada, Goipaka and Jarna due to heavy rains and threats by some extremist groups. The polling would take place here also on August 25.

In East Godavari, at booth no 6 of Gopalapuram in Ravulapalem mandal, a polling official was reported to have cast votes on behalf of the blind and the infirm much against their wishes and much to the chagrin of the polling agents.

In Guntur district which witnessed the landmine blast, offenders were reported to have captured two polling stations at Nadendla falling in the mandal of the same name, and snatched away ballots.

In Warangal district, the process was disrupted when clashing groups attacked polling stations at Medarametla in Mogullapalli mandal.

In Nellore district, it was found that tendered votes polled at booth no 6 of Lingavaram village amounted to only 6 per cent of the total votes. The Secretary said repoll would be conducted here as prescribed rules. Water was poured into the boxes at Punapaka in Naidupet mandal.

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Section  : Southern States
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