Hyderabad: Today, Saturday, marks the final day for filing nominations for the panchayat elections in Telangana, and officials expect an even heavier statewide turnout. Candidates reached centres early as villages moved into full election activity ahead of the deadline.
Filing numbers rose sharply on Friday, the second day of nominations. Candidates submitted 4,901 papers for sarpanch posts in a single day, pushing the two-day total to 8,198. Ward member positions also saw strong interest. Contestants filed 11,502 nominations over two days, and officials said the response remained high across districts.
Panchayat elections attract strong participation as the deadline approaches
The panchayat elections in the first phase cover 4,236 sarpanch posts and 37,440 ward member seats. Candidates arrived in long queues at several centres, and many villages entered campaign mode soon after the election schedule was released. As the deadline approached, filing numbers increased further.
Officials added more counters and staff because the final day usually draws the largest crowds. They will start scrutiny immediately after the nomination window closes and release the final list of contesting candidates once the withdrawal period ends.
Villages prepare for the next steps of the panchayat elections
The panchayat elections created constant activity in rural areas as candidates held meetings, planned door-to-door outreach and coordinated with supporters. Groups gathered near nomination centres to help candidates with paperwork and avoid errors during submission.
Officials urged candidates to file early in the day to avoid last-minute congestion. They said the administration will now shift focus to polling-day logistics, including material movement and staff deployment, to ensure the first phase progresses on schedule.