What is the current polling status in the Jubilee Hills by-election?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 40.20% voter turnout reported by 3 p.m.
- 407 polling stations operational in the constituency.
- Significant candidates include Sunitha, Naveen Yadav, and Lankala Deepak Reddy.
- Drones deployed for enhanced monitoring.
- Polling will continue until 6 p.m.
Hyderabad, Nov 11 (NationPress) Approximately 40.20 per cent of registered voters have participated in the by-election for the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency by 3 p.m. today. According to officials from the Election Commission, the polling process has been largely peaceful, with only minor incidents reported.
The voting commenced at 7 a.m. across all 407 polling stations within the constituency, which includes both upscale areas of Jubilee Hills and various middle-class and low-income neighborhoods and slums in the city center.
It is anticipated that the final turnout will surpass the 47.58 per cent recorded during the 2023 Assembly elections.
Over 400,000 voters are eligible to participate in this by-election, necessitated by the passing of sitting MLA Maganti Gopinath from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
A total of 58 candidates are contesting, but the primary competition lies between the ruling Congress party and the opposition parties BRS and BJP.
The BRS has nominated Gopinath’s wife, Sunitha, while the Congress party has fielded Naveen Yadav. The BJP has retained Lankala Deepak Reddy as its candidate.
Both Sunitha and Naveen were among the early voters, encouraging all eligible voters to participate.
District Election Officer R. V. Karnan visited a polling center at Borabanda to oversee the voting process. He noted that actions would be taken against non-local public representatives violating the Model Code of Conduct.
The BRS has raised concerns regarding the proximity of ruling party legislators to polling stations, with Sunitha accusing the ruling party of rigging.
Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudharshan Reddy confirmed that voting will continue until 6 p.m., allowing those in line at that time to cast their votes.
In a notable first, drones have been deployed for surveillance across all polling stations, with 150 drones being used for centralized aerial monitoring and real-time analysis.
This aerial oversight will facilitate the monitoring of 407 polling stations spread across 139 buildings, enabling authorities to swiftly identify any disturbances.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar has been monitoring the polling process via drones from the Integrated Police Command and Control Centre, assuring the public that voting is proceeding peacefully.
Live webcasting has also been established at all polling stations to ensure secure voting and maintain law and order.
Among the 407 polling stations, 226 have been marked as critical and are being supervised by paramilitary forces.
A total of 2,060 polling personnel are on duty, including 515 polling officers and an equal number of assistant polling officers.
Mobile counters have been set up at all polling locations to allow voters to store their mobile phones before entering the polling stations and retrieve them afterward.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been deployed at 68 polling locations.
There are 401,365 voters in the constituency, comprising 208,561 males, 192,779 females, and 25 others.
According to the DEO, there are 6,859 voters aged 18-19 years, and 2,134 voters are over 85 years old.
Moreover, 103 absentee voters (those over 85 and Persons with Disabilities) opted for postal ballots, with 101 having utilized this option.