Madurai, December 30: Polling in the second and final phase of the rural local body polls in Tamil Nadu began at 7 am on Monday, December 30. About 1.28 crore registered voters are expected to exercise their democratic right to elect 38,914 panchayat members, 255 ward members of district panchayats and 2,544 members of panchayat unions. Tamil Nadu Local Body Elections: Voting Underway for Second Phase of Polls in Madurai.

25,008 polling booths have been set up for the second phase of polls. Voting will end at 5 pm. Polling is taking place under a close vigil of election officials, Through the tenure of rural local body ended in 2016, the election for the local body until election commission notified elections in December 2019.

The first phase of the election, which was conducted on December 27, saw 76.19 percent turnout. The first phase also witnessed sown untoward incidents like ballot box taken by a group of people in Pudukottai, ballot box set on fire in Thiruvallur, attempt to cast a bogus vote in Nagappattinam and few other incidents.

As per the Supreme Court's verdict, local polls are not taking place in nine districts. The apex court ordered delimitation exercise should be finished in these districts - Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Thirupathur, Vellore, Ranipet, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, Tenkasi, and Tirunelveli within three months.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 30, 2019 12:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).