Tamil Nadu local body polls: Voting for second phase ends peacefully

People boycotted the polls in a couple of villages protesting against delimitation, lack of roads and other issues, said an ANI report.

Chennai: Polling in the second and final phase of the rural local bodies polls at 1,093 polling stations in Tamil Nadu's Madurai was conducted in a peaceful manner. The voting began on Monday at 7 am in 158 panchayat unions amid tight security and ended at 5 pm.

The polling took place in Thiruparankundram, Usilampatti, Chellampatti, Sedapatti, Thirumangalam, T.Kallupatti and Kallikudi. Out of 1,093 polling stations, 220 booths were set up in Thiruparankundram, 110 in Usilampatti, 154 in Chellambatti, 155 in Sedapatti, 169 in Thirumangalam, 148 in T Kalupatti and 137 in Kallikkudi Panchayat Union.

About 1.28 crore voters are expected to exercise their democratic right to elect 38,916 panchayat members, 2,544 members of panchayat unions and 255 ward members of district panchayats. There were a total of 25,008 polling booths.

People boycotted the polls in a couple of villages protesting against delimitation, lack of roads and other issues.

Madurai district police SP Manivannan was given the charge of security along with 2 additional superintendents, 20 assistant superintendents, 60 police inspectors and 2,000 policemen.

The first phase of the elections for the rural local bodies was held on December 27 and it saw 76.19 percent polling, said the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission.

Around 12,372 people have filed their nominations for the local government election -- 181 in district Panchayat ward, 555 in the Panchayat union ward, 8,169 in the Gram Panchayat ward and 2,467 in the Gram Panchayat ward.