HYDERABAD: Polling began on Thursday morning on a peaceful note for the 119 assembly seats in Telangana, where the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is going all out to retain power in the state and achieve a hat trick, while the Congress is making strong efforts to wrest power from the BRS, which hopes to overcome the state's anti-incumbency factor.
Polling started at 7 am today and will continue until 5 pm. However, elections in 13 assembly constituencies would finish one hour earlier due to security reasons. Law enforcement agencies suggested that these constituencies are Maoist-affected areas, and polling would conclude one hour before in Sirpur, Chennur, Bellampalli, Mancherial, Asifabad, Manthani, Bhupalpalle, Mulugu, Pinapaka, Yellandu, Kothagudem, Aswaraopeta, and Bhadrachalam.
#TelanganaElections2023 | Union Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy and his family cast their vote in Hyderabad. pic.twitter.com/Zu71ZHLBNP
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) November 30, 2023As many as 3,26,02,799 voters, comprising 1,62,98,418 males, 1,63,01,705 females, and 2,676 transgenders, along with 15,406 service voters, will decide the future of 2,290 candidates (2,068 men, 221 women, and one transgender) in the fray. Over 2.50 lakh poll personnel have been deployed for poll duties. As many as 65,000 police forces, including those from neighbouring states, 50 companies of Telangana State Special Police, and 375 companies of Central forces, have been deployed for security arrangements to ensure peaceful polling in the state.
A total of 35,655 polling booths and 299 auxiliary polling stations have been set up across the state. Nearly 75,464 Ballot Units, 44,828 Control Units, and 49,460 VVPATs are being used for polling purposes. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao, prominent ministers T Harish Rao, T Srinivas Yadav, TPCC President A Revanth Reddy, and BJP leaders Etela Rajender, Arvind Dharmapuri, Bandi Sanjay Kumar are some of the key faces among the 1,862 candidates in the fray.
Total Voters: 3,26,18,261. Men Voters: 1,63,13,268 Women Voters: 1,63,02,261 Transgenders: 2,676 Service Voters: 15,406 Young Voters (Age 18-19) Male: 5,70,274 Female: 4,29,273 Transgenders: 120 Total: 999,667 Senior Citizens (Age 80+) Men: 1,89,519 Women: 2,50,840 Transgender: 12 Total: 440,371 Overseas Electors (NRI): 2,944Total Contesting Candidates - 2,290 (Male – 2,068, Female – 221, Transgender –1)
PwD Electors : 506,921. They include Male: 290,090, Female: 216,815 and Transgender: 16. Total polling stations - 35,655 Auxiliary polling stations - 299 Maximum limit to polling stations in Hyderabad - 1550 and Rural areas and towns: 1500.Deployment of Forces : 45,000 Telangana Police, 3,000 of other departments like excise etc.
TSSP Companies: 50 Companies of CAPF: 375 Home Guards coming from neighbouring states - 23,500. They include Karnataka (5000), Andhra Pradesh (5000), Maharashtra (5000), Madhya Pradesh (2000), Orissa (2000), Tamil Nadu-2000 and Chattisgarh-2500) Total Number of Teams/Squads -1866 Staff deployed: 2,08,000 Accessible components for PwD Voters: Wheel Chairs - 21686 (One wheel chair at every polling station) Voter Slips in Braille for visually Challenged – 76532 Voter’s Guide in Braille for visually Challenged - 40000 Dummy Ballot papers in Braille for visually Challenged – 40000 Free transport for 80+ and PwD to Polling Stations by Returning Officer.
