Lucknow, May 3 : A total of 3.19 lakh candidates have been declared elected unopposed in the Uttar Pradesh panchayat elections, the State Election Commission (SEC) said in a statement. "As many as 3,19,317 candidates have been elected unopposed in the panchayat elections. This includes seven members of zila panchayat, 2,005 members of kshetra panchayat and over 3.17 lakh members who have been elected unopposed in this panchayat election. As many as 178 candidates for the post of pradhan of gram panchayats were also elected unopposed," the SEC said. Counting of votes for the panchayat polls in Uttar Pradesh began on Sunday morning. "The counting of votes will continue till all the ballots are counted. The entire process may take two days," a senior SEC official said. The SEC official said generally counting of votes takes place in eight-hour shifts. The SEC said at every counting centre, a health desk has been established where a doctor is present with medicines. Those showing symptoms of Covid-19 such as fever, cold and cough will not be allowed at the counting centres. Everyone entering the counting centre has to undergo thermal scanning, the SEC said. It categorically stated that there will be a complete ban on victory processions. Voting for the panchayat polls in Uttar Pradesh ended on April 29 with a 75-per cent voter turnout in the fourth and final phase. Lakhs of candidates were in the fray for over 7.32 lakh seats in the gram panchayat wards, 58,176 in the gram panchayats, 75,852 in the kshetra panchayats and 3,050 in the zila panchayats in the state-wide elections held over four phases. /IANS