District collectors across the state on Tuesday issued election notifications for panchayats in their respective districts.
With the issue of notifications, nominations for the posts of sarpanch and ward member commenced. In all, 21,491 villages are going to polls with total 2.18 lakh villages wards.
Nominations can be filed till July 13 and July 17 will be last day for withdrawal of nominations. Final list of contesting candidates will also be announced on July 17. Panchayat elections will be held in three phases. The first phase will be on July 23, second on July 27 and the third phase of polling will be on July 31.
Though the elections are not held on a party basis, almost all the political parties are taking them seriously, in view of the 2014 general elections.
Police, revenue and other department personnel are being deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections and the arrangements are being reviewed by state election commissioner P Ramakanth Reddy and other officials.