Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
After a prolonged wait of nine years, polling for the zilla parishad and panchayat samiti elections was held in Gangapur tehsil on Saturday amid high enthusiasm and in a peaceful atmosphere. For the nine zilla parishad groups and 18 panchayat samiti constituencies, an average turnout of 65 per cent was recorded. Around 1.94 lakh voters have now sealed the fate of the candidates in the ballot units.
On polling day, voter turnout was relatively sluggish during the morning hours. By 9.30 am, only 8.31 per cent polling had been recorded, which increased to 13.31 per cent by 11.30 am. However, the pace picked up significantly after noon. By 1.30 pm, turnout had reached 29 per cent, and by 3.30 pm it rose to 44.29 per cent.
Even after the official polling time ended, long queues of voters were seen at major polling centres such as Kaigaon, Gavalishivra, Shillegaon, Waluj, Ranjangaon (Shenpunji) and Nevargaon. Voters who had entered the polling station premises before the 5.30 pm deadline were allowed to cast their votes, resulting in polling continuing late into the night at several centres.
The administration made elaborate arrangements to ensure peaceful polling. Police personnel from Gangapur police station, along with teams from Shillegaon, Waluj, Daulatabad and Waluj MIDC police stations, were deployed across the tehsil. Except for a few minor incidents, the polling process concluded peacefully throughout the tehsil.