Chennai: Indirect elections for the posts of Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons of Panchayat Unions and District Panchayats, and Vice-Presidents of Village Panchayats began at 11 am today in 27 districts where people elected their representatives recently in the rural civic polls.

While the polling took place in a peaceful manner in most places, voting was stopped at some centres. Protests by AIADMK and DMK members were witnessed at a few places and they exchanged charges against each other. Sources said close contest was in place between the ruling and the opposition parties.

Elections were being held at 9,622 Village Panchayat offices for Vice-President posts, 314 Union offices for Panchayat Union Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons.

According to the rules of indirect election, the elected members will vote to elect the Panchayat Union Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons, District Panchayat Chairperson and vice-chairpersons. Fifty per cent of posts of Panchayat Union Chairpersons and District Panchayat Chairpersons have been reserved for women. To ensure that there is no violence during the voting, tight security has been given to the voting places.

Meanwhile, DMK today made a representation at the State Election Commission stating that the AIADMK is indulging in malpractices during the polling for the indirect election.

The elections to the panchayat union wards and the district panchayat wards were held in two phases in December. DMK and its allies bagged slightly more seats in the polls than the ruling AIADMK and its alliance. DMK won 2,100 ward members in panchayat unions, the AIADMK got 1,781 members.

In the distrcit panchayats DMK bagged 243 seats and AIADMK got 214 seats. In percentage terms, DMK accounted for 43.51 per cent of the panchayat union seats and the AIADMK marginally behind at 40.64 per cent. Out of the total 515 district panchayat ward member posts, the DMK combine won 237 (DMK 215, Congress 13, CPI 7,and CPI(M) 2) while the AIADMK front emerged successful in 210 seats (AIADMK 187, PMK 16, BJP 5 and DMDK 2).

Polls to local bodies in rural areas of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Tirupattur, Ranipettai, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts are expected alongside urban local elections later.