Hyderabad, November 30: Voting for the new assembly elections took place in Telangana on Thursday amid tight security. Long queues formed at polling stations since morning, with voters eager to participate in the democratic process in all 119 assembly constituencies.
Despite the cold morning, continuous voting was seen. Some technical glitches were reported in the electronic voting machines, but prompt action by authorities ensured the use of alternative machines. Over 3.26 crore voters were eligible to determine the political fate of 2,290 candidates.
- Advertisement -
The Election Commission of India imposed comprehensive measures for voting at 35,655 polling stations in 33 districts. CEO Vikas Raj, who cast his vote in Hyderabad, said that the voting was going on smoothly and peacefully.
Among the early voters in Hyderabad was Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Prominent personalities including Kavita, former Indian cricket captain and Congress candidate Mohammed Azharuddin, and actors Chiranjeevi, Venkatesh and Allu Arjun were included.
Telangana celebrates with voting vibes !
Step out and cast your valuable vote#ECI #AssemblyElections2023 #TelanganaElections2023 #GoVote #IVote4Sure pic.twitter.com/g7kSHdNMmK
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) November 30, 2023
With the deployment of over 1.85 lakh polling personnel and 22,000 micro observers, the Election Commission aims to ensure a fair electoral process. Webcasting arrangements were made at 27,094 polling stations and special provisions were made for disabled voters, including provision of 21,686 wheelchairs.
A strong security apparatus consisting of 45,000 state police personnel, 3,000 from other departments, 50 companies of Telangana State Special Police and 375 companies of central paramilitary forces was in place. An additional 23,500 Home Guards were also deployed from neighboring states.
Voting ended at 5 pm, except in 13 constituencies in Maoist-affected districts, where it ended at 4 pm. The Election Commission provided a total of 72,931 ballot units or EVMs, of which 59,779 were deployed at polling stations and the rest were kept in reserve for possible replacement.
The electoral battleground saw competition between the ruling BRS and the Congress party, with the BJP emerging as a significant contender. BRS aimed to win power for the third consecutive term, while Congress aimed to form its first government in the state. The BJP contested 111 constituencies, while leaving eight seats for its ally Jana Sena Party.
As the results came in, Chief Minister and BRS president K.Chandrasekhar Rao contested from Gajwel and Kamareddy constituencies, while State Congress chief A.Revanth Reddy contested from Kamareddy and Kodangal.
Telangana, It’s a poll day Tomorrow !
ECI appeals to every voter of Telangana to cast their vote tomorrow on 30th November #ECI #AssemblyElections2023 #TelanganaElections2023 #GoVote #IVote4Sure pic.twitter.com/rijdaho7EK
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) November 29, 2023
