How Many Candidates Have Filed Nominations for Jubilee Hills Bypoll?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The Jubilee Hills bypoll has attracted a record 211 candidates.
- Farmers and youth are major participants, highlighting local issues.
- The election is scheduled for November 11.
- Electoral process allowed nominations to extend beyond the deadline.
- No ballot papers will be used due to the capability of EVMs.
Hyderabad, Oct 22 (NationPress) A total of 211 candidates have officially submitted their nominations for the upcoming bypoll scheduled on November 11 for the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency, as reported by election officials on Wednesday.
On the final day for nomination filings, which was Tuesday (October 21), 117 candidates submitted their applications. Returning Officer P. Sairam noted that on the seventh and last day, 117 candidates filed a total of 194 nomination papers.
In an extraordinary turn of events, candidates continued to file their nominations until midnight. A significant number of these candidates included farmers impacted by the Regional Ring Road (RRR) project, individuals whose homes were reportedly demolished by HYDRAA, as well as farmers and unemployed youth.
These groups have entered the electoral race to voice their discontent with the government regarding various issues.
Although the deadline for nominations was set for 3 p.m., those still in line were permitted to submit their papers, allowing the filing process to extend for an additional nine hours post-deadline.
The Returning Officer confirmed that since the notification was issued on October 13, a total of 211 candidates have filed 321 nominations.
During the initial six days, only 94 candidates had filed nominations, but the final day saw a surge with 117 candidates submitting their applications.
A similar scenario was observed in 2019 within the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency when 185 candidates, primarily turmeric farmers, had filed nominations due to their demands for the Turmeric Board, compelling the Election Commission of India to utilize ballot paper.
However, officials from the Election Commission indicated that despite the high number of nominations in Jubilee Hills, there would be no necessity for ballot papers, as Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) can accommodate up to 300 candidates.
The scrutiny of nominations is scheduled for Wednesday, with Friday marking the final day for withdrawal of candidacies. The confirmed count of valid nominations will be determined following the scrutiny.
BJP candidate Lankala Deepak Reddy was among those who submitted their nominations on the last day, while Congress’s Naveen Yadav and BRS candidate Maganti Sunitha had already completed their filings.
The necessity for this by-election arose following the passing of the sitting MLA Maganti Gopinath of BRS in June. In the 2023 elections, Gopinath triumphed over former Indian cricket captain and Congress candidate Mohammed Azharuddin by a margin of 16,337 votes to secure the seat for his third consecutive term.
In a multi-cornered contest, Gopinath received 80,549 votes, while Azharuddin garnered 64,212 votes. Deepak Reddy from the BJP secured third place with 25,866 votes.
The BRS has nominated Gopinath’s wife in a strategic move to leverage sympathy from voters. BJP has once again nominated Deepak Reddy, with Naveen Yadav running on a Congress ticket.
Notably, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), whose candidate finished fourth in the 2023 elections, is not participating this time and has publicly endorsed the Congress candidate.