Polling Peaceful; 75.88% of Votes Polled in Municipalities

Hyderabad: The polling for the 116 municipalities and seven corporations went off peacefully on Wednesday, barring a few untoward incidents that took place at some places in the state. The poll percentage in municipalities stood at 75.88 per cent, which is nearly three percentage points lower than municipal corporations, which recorded 73.01 per cent voting.

The polling kicked off at 7 am on Wednesday for municipalities and corporations and closed the polling around 5 pm, and the officials allowed only voters inside the polling centre beyond the time.

The Choutuppal municipality topped the state with a 91.91 per cent polling followed by Chandur with 91.52 per cent, Jinnaramwith 90.98 per cent and Pochampally with 90.95 per cent. The Nandikonda municipality recorded the lowest polling percentage of 59.68, followed by Kaghaznagar (64.32 per cent) and Bhainsa (62.71 per cent).

In municipal corporations, Nalgonda Municipal Corporation topped with 77.36 per cent of polling, followed by Kothagudem (74.52 per cent). The Nizamabad corporation had the lowest polling percentage at 59.12 per cent.

According to data released by the State Election Commission, the woman vote percentage was 76.24, while the male vote percentage was 75.50.

State Election Commission Commissioner I Rani Kumudini said that the elections were held peacefully without any major incidents, and no repolling was reported. They would also prepare for the counting process to be held on February 13. The ballot boxes have been shifted to strong rooms where three-layer security was deployed.

Director-General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy said heavy security was deployed at strong rooms to prevent untoward incidents. The polling for municipalities and corporations was held peacefully, and several incidents of violence took place. They would register cases against violators

In the newly-formed Future City commissionerate, polling was held for three municipalities, such as Chevella, Shankarpalli and Moinabad. As it was the first election in Future City, the police had imposed tight security at the polling stations.

In Sangareddy, tension gripped the 34th ward after police made certain objections to the Congress candidate. Following the information, the Congress leader T. Jagga Reddy rushed to the spot and abused the police using filthy language. The State Election Commission took suo moto cognizance of the matter and directed the Sangareddy SP to inquire into the issue and register cases.

In Nizamabad district, the BJP MP D Arvind's videos went viral on social media when he visited a polling centre and abused the police for asking a BJP candidate to leave the polling centre.

In Nalgonda, the BRS workers detained a minor boy who was caught casting a fake vote at the polling centre on behalf of a BJP candidate at Sandeep High School polling centre. Police intervened in the issue and took the minor boy into custody.

In Karimnagar, the police resorted to a lathi-charge on BJP and BRS workers at the 58 division when both party cadres tried to clash with each other on fake vote polling. Police dispersed the mob by canning them.

Similarly, an unknown person took pictures of a ballot paper after casting his vote and uploaded them on social media platforms. The picture went viral on social media. The ballot paper was related to the second ward of Huzurabad.

In Sircilla, an independent candidate reportedly distributed rolled gold material to voters. The candidate distributed a small amount of gold material to voters. Some voters verified it, bringing it to a gold shop where the staff informed them that it was imitation jewellery.

HIGHLIGHTS

Marthi Kishtaiah, a resident of Medak, has set an example by casting his vote at the age of 99 in the Medak municipal election.

A woman, who was incapacitated due to an illness, came to the polling station in an ambulance and exercised her right to vote in Zaheerabad municipality

BRS Tandur municipality war member Jogula Imbedar alleged that local BRS leader Pilot Rohit Reddy, who gave him a B form, and Rohit Reddy called upon people to vote for BJP candidates.

Political leaders brought an elderly woman to the polling centre to help her cast her vote. But after the vote, they abandoned her. Police dropped her off at her residence in a police patrol vehicle.

Polling Percentage

Municipalities

Choutuppal: 91.91%

Chandur: 91.52%

Jinnaram: 90.98%

Pochampally: 90.95%

Yadagirigutta: 89.86%

Corporations

Nalgonda: 77.36%

Kothagudem: 74.52%

Ramagundam: 69.32%

Mahabubnagar: 67.73%

Mancherial: 64.90%