Telangana Municipal Polls Begin Under Tight Security Arrangements
Voting is underway in 116 municipalities and seven corporations with extensive security, webcasting, and over 12,900 candidates in the fray results will be declared on February 13.
Telangana, Feb 11 : Polling for the Telangana municipal elections began early Wednesday under heightened security, covering municipalities and municipal corporations across the state. Voting started at 7 am and will continue until 5 pm, with authorities putting comprehensive arrangements in place to ensure a smooth and safe electoral process.
According to the Telangana State Election Commission, elections are being conducted for 2,582 municipal wards. Twelve wards have already been decided unanimously, while polling was adjourned in one ward. Voting is currently taking place in 2,569 wards through 6,017 polling stations, where 10,719 candidates are contesting.
In the seven municipal corporations, voters are choosing representatives in 412 wards, with two wards declared uncontested. A total of 2,174 polling stations have been established, and 2,225 candidates are competing for seats.
The electorate includes 52,17,413 registered voters comprising 25,49,750 men, 26,67,025 women, and 638 voters in the ‘others’ category. Altogether, 12,930 candidates are contesting these civic polls.
To manage the exercise, officials appointed 1,379 Returning Officers and deployed over 41,700 polling staff. More than 8,100 polling stations are equipped with webcasting facilities, and 16,382 ballot boxes are being used to facilitate voting.
Director General of Police Shivdhar Reddy said nearly 25,000 police personnel have been stationed to maintain law and order, assuring citizens that they can vote without fear. Authorities have also ensured complete webcasting coverage to enhance transparency.
The state government has declared a holiday in all urban local bodies going to polls, covering factories, shops, industries, and offices within municipal limits to encourage voter turnout.
