Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Sudarshan Reddy has said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is yet to take a final decision on the by-election for the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency.
Speaking to the media, Reddy confirmed that the Assembly Secretariat has issued a gazette notification declaring the Jubilee Hills seat vacant. This has been forwarded to the ECI for further action. While the Election Commission has already announced bypolls for vacant Assembly seats in three other states, there is currently no immediate plan to issue a notification for Jubilee Hills.
He stated that the by-election in Jubilee Hills is likely to be held before December.
Reddy also outlined new polling arrangements. The number of voters per polling station has now been reduced to 1,200. Prohibitory orders will apply within 200 metres of polling booths and extend up to one kilometre. Political advertisements will not be allowed within that zone. Additionally, voters will be offered a mobile phone deposit facility outside polling stations.
The Chief Electoral Officer further informed that on June 26 and 27, booth-level officers and agents from Telangana will undergo training in New Delhi, organised by the ECI.
Providing an update on voter database efforts, he said Aadhaar linking of voter ID cards has been completed for 87% of voters in rural areas and 67% in urban areas.
