Hyderabad: All polling stations set up for the upcoming Jubilee Hills Assembly by-election will have basic voter amenities like a mobile phone deposit counter will be available outside polling stations. Voters can hand over switched-off phones before entering and collect them after voting, said chief electoral officer for Telangana Sudharshan Reddy.
He added that arrangements were being made to make voting easy and accessible for everyone, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities. “Every booth will be ready well before polling day so voters can cast their votes comfortably and without delay,” he said.
Each polling station will have drinking water, toilets, waiting areas, lighting, ramps, and clear signboards. Standard voting compartments will be used to maintain secrecy, and voter information posters will display polling details, candidate lists, ID requirements, and voting instructions, the CEO stated in a press release.
It added that voter assistance booths will be set up at each polling location. These will be staffed by Booth Level Officers to help electors find their names and booth numbers in the voter list.
As of October 23, a total of 321 nominations were filed of which 135 were accepted while 186 were rejected by the Election Commission for the Jubilee Hills by-election that will be held on November 11.
The Jubilee Hills by election is important for the ruling Congress as it has failed to win even a single Assembly seat in the Greater Hyderabad area in the 2023 polls. The by-poll was necessitated after the late MLA an ex-BRS leader Maganti Gopinath passed away earlier this year. His wife has been nominated by the BRS for the by-poll, while the ruling party has given the ticket to local face Naveen Yadav.
