Addressing the media today, state Election Commissioner Dr A V S Reddy said the commission has issued the election notification for 3,500 wards in 107 civic bodies across the state. Electronic voting machines would be used for the first time. Counting of votes will be taken up on September 26.

These will be the first civic elections after the Congress regained power in the state in May 2004. Multi-cornered contests seem likely with the Telugu Desam Party, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi contesting the polls on their own. The Congress, howeveris forging an alliance with the Left parties.

"The SEC has taken a firm decision to complete the elections for municipal chairpersons and mayors by the end of September 2005. The election programme has been drawn up accordingly," Reddy said.

He explained that elections would not be held in 24 municipalities and three municipal corporations, including Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam [Images], for various reasons. Saying that the model code of conduct would come into immediate effect, he instructed the district collectors, superintendents of police and other concerned officials to implement it strictly. "The model code of conduct will be applicable to the entire state and not just the municipal areas as this is a general election (for civic bodies) being held on party basis," Reddy said.

The SEC said that nearly 41,500 polling personnel would be deployed for the conduct of civic polls, apart from 240 election officers. A total of 7,524 polling stations would be set up, with as many as 75.81 lakh voters enrolled to vote. Voter identity cards issued by the Election Commission of India would be accepted in this election.

"We have asked the district election authorities to collect details about persons against whom non-bailable warrants are pending for over six months. The authorities will serve three days' notice for deleting such names from the electoral rolls," Reddy pointed out.