Hyderabad: The first phase of the election to 3,834 Gram Panchayats concluded peacefully in Telangana on Thursday and the counting of votes was underway.

Amid elaborate security arrangements made by police, the polling was held peacefully, Additional DGP (Law and Order) Mahesh M Bhagwat told PTI.

The balloting exercise began at 7 AM and came to an end at 1 PM. The counting of votes began thereafter.

The process of collating data on the percentage of polling was in progress, Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) sources said.

Over 56 lakh voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the election.

Around 13,000 Sarpanch candidates are in the fray, while 65,455 nominees are contesting for 27,628 wards, officials said.

A release said unanimous elections took place in 396 gram

See Full Page