The first phase of polling for the three-tier Panchayat election will be held amid tight security at 54 development blocks of the State on Wednesday.The polling will be held from 7 am to 3 pm in all except eight development blocks of restive Bastar division where the polling will be held from 6.45 am to 2 pm, said officials of State Election Commission (SEC) here.
As many as 55,53,149 voters would exercise their right to franchise at 11,884 polling booths in 54 development blocks. According to official sources, polling will be held for about 72,000 posts in the first phase including 145 posts of the member of Zila Panchayats, 1223 posts of member of Janpad Panchayats, 4608 posts of Sarpanchs and 65881 posts of panchs.
SEC officials said that about 40,000 security personnel have been deployed for the polling including paramilitary forces.Choppers are also being used to ferry polling parties in sensitive areas. Proper security arrangements have been made for sensitive and hypersensitive polling booths, officials said.
The results will be declared immediately after polling. It is worth mentioning that the SEC had earlier revised the schedule of the three-phase Panchayat general election 2015. The second and third phase of polling will be held on February 1 and 4 respectively.