Hyderabad, November 23: Stage is set for the first civic elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) at 5,718 polling stations in GHMC limits on Monday between 7 am and 5 pm.
The elections are being conducted for the first time after formation of Greater Hyderabad by merging 12 surrounding municipalities in April 2007. And also for the first time, electronic voting machines (EVMs) are being used for polling in local body elections. Over 12,000 EVMs are being used in the elections.
In all, 1,310 candidates are in the fray for 150 municipal divisions in the civic body. While the Congress has fielded candidates for all the 150 divisions, TDP fielded 141, BJP 137, Lok Satta 126, PRP 64, MIM 70, CPI 13 and CPM 35 candidates in the elections. Interestingly, 403 woman candidates are contesting from various municipal divisions.
Nearly 57 lakh voters would exercise their franchise at the 5,718 polling booths to elect their representatives. About 2.47 lakh more voters were added to the voter’s list after the general elections held in April 2009.
For the convenience of voters, the GHMC has arranged 1,257 exclusive female polling stations and 1,311 male polling stations and 3150 general (both) polling booths.
The GHMC has drafted 33,975 polling personnel, including 6,794 presiding officers, 6,794 assistant presiding officers, 20,387 other personnel and 504 zonal officers, for conducting the elections. Initially, there was shortage of polling personnel as many personnel did not turn up for training classes. The authorities finally managed to get the required number of personnel after the GHMC special commissioner spoke to heads of various departments.
Six hundred micro observers have been appointed to watch polling process and model code violations in the 1,500 sensitive polling stations. Videographing of all sensitive polling stations would be done by the election authorities.
The election authorities have banned canvassing for votes within polling station or in public places or private buildings within 100 metres distance from the polling station. It also banned transporting voters to polling stations from various locations.
The State Election Commission (SEC) said secrecy of voting should be maintained at polling stations. No person should either display or indicate his choice of vote to any individual.
-PTI