The second phase of rural local body elections was marked by brisk polling in Salem. On Monday, 80.92% exercised their franchise here.
In the second phase, elections were held to eight panchayat unions, Attur, Ayodhiyapattinam, Gangavalli, P.N.Palayam, Panamarathupatti, Salem, Thalaivasal and Vazhapadi. According to officials, polling booths were set up at 1,173 places across the eight unions, including nine booths each for men and women voters.
District Collector and District Election Officer S.A.Raman visited polling booths under Salem, Ayodhiyapattinam and Vazhapadi panchayat unions and reviewed the arrangements and progress of polling here. Mr. Raman also reviewed the functioning election control room set up at the District collectorate and checked the functioning of web cameras installed at vulnerable booths from the control room.
In second phase, there are 6,68,779 electors in the eight unions. According to officials, 62 candidates are contesting for 12 district panchayat ward member post, 505 candidates for 117 panchayat union ward member, 760 candidates for 186 village panchayat president and 4,596 candidates are contesting for 1,439 village panchayat ward member posts.
No major issues were reported in the conduct of second phase of elections in Salem and by 9 a.m, 11.33% voters exercised their franchise and 64.61% of votes were polled by 3 p.m. Medical teams were posted at most of the polling booths to assist voters in case of any emergencies. At polling booths set up at Government Higher Secondary School in Udayapatti under Ayodhiyapattinam Union, police had to ask candidates to leave the polling station after they were found spending more time there.
At the end of polling, maximum polling was recorded at Panamarathupatti Union, 84.22%.
