First phase of AP Panchayat polls on Tuesday

As many as 2,723 panchayats inAndhra Pradesh are set to go for polls in the first phase onTuesday.

Elections will also be held to elect 20,157 wardmembers, a press release from the Panchayat Raj departmentsaid on Monday.

Polling will begin from 6.30 AM and go on till3.30 PM while counting of votes will begin at 4 PM.

The polls will go on till February 21 in four phases.

The release said though elections were to be held for3,249 posts of panchayat sarpanchs, 525 have been unanimouslyelected, while no nomination was filed for a village inNellore district.

As many as 7,506 candidates are contesting forsarpanch posts and 43,601 are in the fray for ward members.

The elections are being held using ballot paper andwithout any political party symbols.

The release said 29,732 polling stations were setup, out of which 3,458 have been identified as sensitive and3,594 hypersensitive.

All necessary precautions were in place as perCOVID-19 protocol amid tight security and PPE kits will beprovided to voters infected by the virus, it added.