Hyderabad: Days after Dubbaka bypoll, Telangana State Election Commissioner Partha Sarathi announced December 1 to December 4 as the dates for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections for the 150 wards.
However, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the state election commission will be using the ballot boxes for the elections instead of Electronic Voting Machine (EVMS).
The State Election Commission (SEC) has procured 17,366 ballot boxes ahead of GHMC elections. These boxes are kept at the Victory Play Ground, Chaderghat and cops are deployed to guard them. As per SEC estimates, 30,000 ballot boxes are required to conduct elections for 150 wards. These Ballot boxes are to kept under full security and CCTV surveillance.
Furthermore, the Commission has instructed the Returning Officers to closely monitor the dispatch and delivery of Postal Ballot Papers to eligible voters applied for and timely receipt back of polled ballots to avoid delay. The contesting candidates and their election agents have some responsibility in making the process functional and transparent, it said.