Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Feb 17 (Reporter) Polling for the first phase of panchayat elections in Chhattisgarh began on Monday in 53 development blocks. The election will be held in three phases. Officials of the State Election Commission said on Monday that the color of the ballot paper for the three-tier panchayat general election has been kept pink for the district panchayat member, yellow for the Janpad Panchayat member, blue for the sarpanch and white for the Panch. In the first phase of the three-tier panchayat elections, elections are being held for 27,210 Panches, 3,605 sarpanches, 911 janpad members and 149 district panchayat members. A total of 60,203 Panch and 14,646 sarpanch candidates are in the fray. A total of 702 candidates are contesting for Zila Panchayat members and 4,587 candidates for Janpad Panchayat members. A total of 9,873 polling stations have been set up for the first phase of polling. He said that in the first phase, voting will be held in 53 development blocks of the state today. In the first phase, development blocks Masturi of district Bilaspur, development blocks Gaurela of district Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, development blocks of district Mungeli, development blocks of district Janjgir-Champa Bamhnidih and Akaltra, development blocks of district Sakti, development blocks Korba and Kartala of district Korba, development blocks Raigarh and Pusaur of district Raigarh, development blocks Baramkela of district Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, development blocks Surajpur and Bhaiyathan of district Surajpur, Kusmi, Rajpur and Shankargarh blocks of district Balrampur, Ambikapur, Lakhanpur and Udaipur of district Surguja, Sonhat development blocks of district Koriya, development blocks Khadgawan of district Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur, development blocks of district Jashpur,development blocks Arang and Abhanpur of district Raipur, development blocks Bhatapara and Simga of district Balodabazar, development blocks Gariaband and Mainpur of district Gariaband, development blocks Basna and Saraipali of district Mahasamund, Dhamtari and Magarlod development blocks of district Dhamtari, development blocks Bemetara and Nawagarh of district Bemetara, development blocks Durg of district Durg, development blocks Dondilohara and Daundi of district Balod, development blocks Rajnandgaon of district Rajnandgaon, development blocks of district Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, development blocks of district Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh outpost, development blocks Kawardha and Sahaspur Lohara of district Kabirdham, development blocks Kondagaon of district Kondagaon, development blocks Jagdalpur and Darbha of district Bastar, Polling is being held in Narayanpur block of district Narayanpur, development block Kanker, Charama and Narahpur of district North Bastar, Dantewada and Geedam of south Bastar district Dantewada and Sukma block of district Sukma and Bijapur block of Bijapur district...////...