- District Officer RV Karnan details candidate and polling arrangements
- Police gear up for secure voting; new ECI measures enhance convenience
The Jubilee Hills Assembly by-election is all set with 407 polling stations prepared to serve voters in the constituency. Hyderabad District Election Officer and GHMC Commissioner R.V. Karnan announced that 59 candidates, including the NOTA option, are in the fray.
Due to the high number of candidates, each Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) will be equipped with four Ballot Units, leading to larger voting compartments than usual.
Speaking at the GHMC Head Office, R.V. Karnan confirmed that the nomination process concluded on Friday and all logistical arrangements are complete. Police Joint Commissioner Tafseer Iqbal was also present to assure security preparedness.
Karnan highlighted that strict Election Commission of India (ECI) rules will be followed, allowing only voters, polling staff, agents, and security personnel inside booths. He clarified that the Voter Information Slip (VIS) is a guide to locate polling stations but not a photo ID. Voters must carry one of the 12 approved photo identity cards to cast their vote.
To ensure smooth polling, the election team includes 600 Presiding Officers, 600 Assistant Presiding Officers, and 1,200 Polling Officers. Extensive Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) campaigns have been conducted to enhance voter awareness and turnout. Special queue lines will be arranged for women, and transport support will be provided for differently-abled voters.
For enforcing the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), authorities are deploying 15 Static Surveillance Teams and 15 Flying Squads to monitor activities closely. So far, election officials have seized assets worth ₹2.83 crore for MCC violations and filed charges against 11 individuals. Social media monitoring is also active, with stern warnings against misinformation.
The ECI has introduced new features for this by-poll: color photographs of candidates will be printed on ballot papers for easy identification. Each polling station will include Voter Assistance Booths and Mobile Deposit Counters.
Voter Information Slips now carry bold-printed serial and part numbers for better clarity. Karnan emphasized that only authorized Booth Level Officers (BLOs) can distribute these slips, cautioning against unauthorized distributions. The police confirm full readiness, with paramilitary forces deployed at key stations to ensure peaceful polling.
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