And the day has come while over 74 lakh eligible voters would decide the fortune of 1,122 candidates contesting in the most-anticipated election to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) at 7 AM after the end of high voltage campaign.
According to the official date by the Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC), as many as 74,44,260 voters would exercise their franchise using ballot papers to elect their representatives in the 150-ward GHMC.
The TSEC 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.
Observing that all arrangements, including those in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, have been made for smooth polling, State Election Commissioner C Parathasarathi has appealed to the voters to exercise their franchise.
Polling across 9,101 polling booths saw only 3.10% voter turn out during the first two hours. 48,000 (including reserve) polling personnel and 52,500 strong police force were deployed for the balloting process. All the party supremos on Tuesday appealed the voters to people of Hyderabad to cast their vote today to strengthen democracy.
In the last elections in 2016, the ruling TRS had won 99 seats, AIMIM had won 44, the BJP won four, the Congress won two and the Telugu Desam Party managed to get one seat.
