Final phase polling begins, villagers step out to choose leaders
Despite court stays, voters turn out strongly as Telangana’s final Panchayat phase reflects grassroots faith in democracy today.
Hyderabad: Polling began on a calm but energetic note on Wednesday for the third and final phase of the Panchayat elections in Telangana, marking the conclusion of a crucial exercise in grassroots democracy. Across villages and mandals, voters stepped out early, many carrying a strong sense that these elections directly shape their everyday lives.
A total of 53,06,395 eligible voters are expected to participate in this final phase. The electorate includes 26,01,861 men, 27,04,394 women, and 140 voters from other categories. Polling is being conducted at 36,452 polling stations spread across the state, with officials making arrangements to ensure a smooth and orderly process.
Voting will continue until 1 pm, after which the focus will shift quickly to counting. Ballot counting is scheduled to begin at 2 pm, and officials said results are expected to be declared soon after, bringing clarity to village-level leadership across large parts of Telangana.
This phase of the elections covers 4,159 gram panchayats across 182 mandals. While the scale of the exercise is vast, it has also revealed the challenges of local governance. Nominations were not filed for 11 sarpanch seats, reflecting either a lack of interest or consensus-based decisions in certain villages. In contrast, 394 sarpanch seats were declared uncontested, indicating that many communities have chosen their leaders without competition.
However, the contest remains intense in most areas. For the remaining 3,752 sarpanch seats, as many as 12,652 candidates are in the fray. In several villages, the elections have sparked lively discussions on local development, water supply, sanitation, roads, and welfare schemes, issues that directly affect daily life.
The elections have not been without legal hurdles. Courts have stayed polling in two gram panchayats, temporarily halting the democratic process in those areas. Despite these setbacks, election officials expressed confidence that the overall process would proceed smoothly in the remaining regions.
Ward member elections are also a major component of this final phase. Notifications were issued for all 36,452 wards, highlighting the breadth of participation at the most local level of governance. Nominations were not filed for 116 wards, while 7,908 wards were declared uncontested, suggesting that many villages resolved leadership choices through consensus rather than competition.
Court stays have been imposed on elections in 18 wards, adding another layer of complexity. Still, the democratic contest remains robust, with 28,410 wards going to polls. A total of 75,725 candidates are contesting these ward member positions, underlining the strong interest in grassroots leadership roles.
For many voters, Panchayat elections feel more personal than state or national polls. Candidates are neighbours, relatives, or familiar faces, and campaign promises often focus on immediate concerns such as street lighting, drainage, school facilities, and access to government schemes. In several villages, elders and first-time voters alike were seen discussing candidates outside polling booths, reflecting a deep engagement with the process.
Security personnel and polling staff were deployed in large numbers, particularly in sensitive areas, to ensure that voting remained peaceful.
Once the results are announced, the next step in the local governance process will begin. Meetings of newly elected ward members will be held to conduct elections for the post of deputy sarpanch. These internal elections are expected to play a key role in shaping the functioning of gram panchayats over the coming years.
As Telangana concludes its Panchayat election process, the final phase stands as a reminder of the importance of local democracy. Beyond numbers and results, these elections reflect the voices of villagers choosing who will represent them on issues closest to home, reinforcing faith in democratic participation at the grassroots level.