Second phase of Andhra panchayat polls in progress

Polling is in progress Saturday for the second phase of panchayat elections in Andhra Pradesh.

More than 31 percent votes were polled in the first four hours of the polling, which began at 7 a.m., said Navin Mittal, secretary state election commission.

As many as 2,892 candidates are in the fray for the posts of 6,971 sarpanchs or village heads. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the polls to the village-level bodies.

Polling will continue till 1 p.m. while counting of votes will be taken up from 2 p.m.

Sporadic incidents were reported from different parts of the state. Workers of Congress and YSR Congress party clashed outside a polling booth in Mandapaka village of West Godavari district. Some villagers attacked a polling centre in Prakasam district.

A total of 6,566 panchayats went to polls in the first phase July 23. Though the elections are conducted on non-party basis, ruling Congress, main opposition Telugu Desam Party and YSR Congress all claimed that candidates backed by them won majority seats.

The state has 21,592 gram panchayats, of which 21,491 are going to polls in three phases. The third phase will be held July 31.