Hyderabad: After more than a week of intense and vitriolic campaign, over 74 lakh eligible voters took part today in the elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation or GHMC. Polling began at 7 AM.
The polling for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) election was so far peaceful with 18.20 per cent turnout reported till noon on Tuesday. The Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) ordered repoll in all 69 polling stations of Ward number 26 after it was found that the symbol of CPI(M) was printed in the ballot paper instead of CPI, an official release said.
The repoll would be held on December 3 from 7 AM to 6 PM in all the 69 polling stations. The CPI complained to the election authorities on the matter.
The Commission has instructed the election authority and GHMC to replace the Returning Officer for conduct of fresh poll. In view of the repoll, publication, broadcasting and telecasting of Exit polls on GHMC elections is banned till 6 PM on December 3, the SEC said. Till 1 pm, the vote percentage was 18.20 percent.
The civic body election is a high-stakes battle for the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the BJP, trying to make inroads, and Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM. This has been the most fiercely and bitterly fought municipal elections ever in Hyderabad with a high-octane campaign by the BJP that flew in national leaders - like Amit Shah, JP Nadda and Yogi Adityanath - hoping to convince Hyderabad that a change was needed.
Here are the highlights on the Hyderabad municipal corporation election:
Dec 01, 2020 10:48 (IST)
GHMC Elections 2020 LIVE Updates: GHMC, A Brief History
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation or GHMC was formed in April 2007 by merging 12 municipalities and eight gram panchayats with Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH). Four districts fall within GHMC limits, including Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Sangareddy.
Dec 01, 2020 10:31 (IST)
GHMC Elections 2020 LIVE: Tight Security In Place
Hyderabad police chief Anjani Kumar had said security has been tightened in all areas. "Central and state forces are available in Hyderabad city. We have set up security at normal, sensitive, hypersensitive, and critical polling stations under the leadership of Inspector-level officers. Striking Force, Emergency Response Team will be available. Security has been set up at 293 hypersensitive pickets. We have set up six armed police teams at critical hypersensitive police centres," he said.
Dec 01, 2020 10:23 (IST)
GHMC Polls LIVE: Why These Polls Matter To BJP
The BJP sees the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation election as a chance to carve out a space for itself in Telangana. In 2016, the party claimed just four of 150 seats as Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's TRS swept 99. The BJP recently won the by-election to the Dubbak assembly constituency.
Dec 01, 2020 10:11 (IST)
GHMC Elections LIVE: Ballot Voting, Not EVMs
The Telangana State Election Commission is conducting the election with ballot papers instead of EVMs because of the coronavirus crisis. Voter IDs or one of the 18 alternative photo identity can be shown. Elderly voters and women with children need not wait in queues. There's no provision for online voting though postal ballots have been allowed.
Dec 01, 2020 10:03 (IST)
GHMC Elections 2020 LIVE: 1,122 Candidates, 150 Divisions
1,122 candidates are contesting in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation election. The election is taking place in 150 divisions spread over four districts.
Dec 01, 2020 10:00 (IST)
GHMC Elections LIVE: Polling Arrangements
Detailed arrangements have been made for today's voting by the Telangana State Election Commission with 48,000 polling personnel and 52,500 police personnel deployed.
Dec 01, 2020 09:07 (IST)
Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Polls: Union Minister G Kishan Reddy Votes
"Following all Covid Safety Protocols, cast my vote along with my family at Kachiguda Polling Station earlier this morning. Voting is our constitutional right and all of us must exercise it in the interest of an able administration," Mr Reddy tweeted after casting his vote.
