Hyderabad: MLC Polls Passes Off Peacefully

Hyderabad, March 14 (Maxim News): Despite it being a Sunday and the day temperatures being considerably high, many turned up in good numbers to cast their votes in Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahabubagar Graduates constituency MLC elections.

With the voter turnout being meagre early in the day, especially in Hyderabad, there were apprehensions about the poll percentage crossing the previous elections percentage of 39.09 in the constituency. However, as the day progressed, there was a steady rise in the voter turnout and many were seen standing in the queue, even after the scheduled time of 4 pm. The poll percentage recorded till 4 pm in the constituency was 59.96.

Though the poll percentage was remarkably high, officials said there were no untoward incidents and polling passed peacefully.

Dispelling the notions that literates do not come out to vote, graduates in Hyderabad and neighbouring Ranga Reddy and Medchal, were seen standing in good numbers in the queues at different polling booths. Despite the high day temperature, the voters patiently waited for their turn to cast vote while maintaining physical distance and following the Covid guidelines.

Karthik, a finance company employee said he had not witnessed a jumbo ballot paper and he had to search quite a lot for the preferred candidate.

“I was not aware that there are so many contestants until I came to polling booth. Initially, I was bit confused while searching the contestants names and I had to fold it several times to put in the jumbo ballot box,” he said.

A first time voter, Srinivas said that it is his right to vote and elect a right candidate in the elections. “I missed the opportunity to vote in GHMC elections. Since it is a graduates elections, I decided to exercise my franchise and postponed my personal works,” he said.

No untoward incidents in Hyderabad

The polling for the Graduates MLC Elections went off peacefully under tight police bandobast in the tri-commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda on Sunday.

Cyberabad Commissioner of Police, V C Sajjanar along with the officials visited polling stations in Kukatpally and reviewed the polling process. There were 180 polling stations at 66 polling locations in the Cyberabad and the police had made required security arrangements.

Interacting with the media persons, Sajjanar said that the polling process went off peacefully and no untoward incident was reported during the polling. “We also made arrangements for tents, wheel chairs, drinking water at the polling stations for the benefit of the voters,” he said.

The Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat visited several polling stations including a few hypersensitive polling stations in Bhongir. He reviewed the polling process and supervised the security arrangements. “All steps are being taken to shift the ballot boxes safely to the strong rooms,” he said.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar, monitored the polling process from the command and control center at the Commissioner of Police office at Basheerbagh. Earlier during the day, he visited a few polling stations.

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