LAKKI MARWAT, Aug 25: The second phase of local body elections started on Thursday in a peaceful atmosphere and voters thronged polling stations to exercise their right of franchise.

In the first two hours votes were cast in large numbers. The presiding officer said that arrangements were made to maintain peace.

He said that at Ghazni Khel polling station, the total number of registered voters was 791(Male), of them 350 used their right during the first four hours, while 130 out of total 537 females cast their votes at this booth.

Candidates contesting for various slots expressed satisfaction over the arrangements.

According to the Provincial Election Commission, a total of 771 candidates for Muslim (general), 228 Muslim women, 492 peasant men, 160 peasant women and 129 nazims and naib nazims were trying their luck in the southern district of the NWFP.

The government had made tight security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident. However, the provincial government did not seek deployment of armed forces. Besides police, militia scouts and Frontier Corps were deployed to ensure free and congenial atmosphere for voters.—APP