Telangana records 72% polling in its first election
1 May 2014 11:34 PM GMT
Officials said the turnout may go up to 73 percent as final reports were still awaited from some constituencies.
Barring minor incidents, balloting was peaceful amid tight security at 30,574 polling booths across 10 districts of Telangana including Hyderabad. The turnout was higher than 67.71 percent recorded in the region in 2009 but fell short of 90 percent, the target set by the Election Commission Nalgonda district recorded highest turnout - 81 percent - while Hyderabad witnessed the lowest turnout at 53 percent, said chief electoral officer Bhanwarlal.
He said 21 million out of 28.17 million electors cast their vote. ‘I thank them for coming out and casting their vote to strengthen democracy, despite the summer heat,’ he said.
Despite the voter awareness drive by the poll authorities and NGOs, the poll percentage in Hyderabad slipped from 58 percent in 2009 to 53 percent.
The authorities had taken all measures to ensure the higher turnout. They had not only declared a holiday for all institutions, shops and companies including IT firms but also enforced ensured compliance of their orders. Popular Telugu comedy actor Brahmanandam, seen exhorting voters in advertisements to go out and vote as a brand ambassador of the Election Commission, was in a shock when he found his name missing from the voters' list.
The veteran actor and his wife Lakshmi Wednesday went to a polling centre in the posh Jubliee Hills but were surprised when the polling staff informed them that their names are not there in the voters' list and had to return home diasappointed.
Barring minor incidents, balloting was peaceful amid tight security at 30,574 polling booths across 10 districts of Telangana including Hyderabad. The turnout was higher than 67.71 percent recorded in the region in 2009 but fell short of 90 percent, the target set by the Election Commission Nalgonda district recorded highest turnout - 81 percent - while Hyderabad witnessed the lowest turnout at 53 percent, said chief electoral officer Bhanwarlal.
He said 21 million out of 28.17 million electors cast their vote. ‘I thank them for coming out and casting their vote to strengthen democracy, despite the summer heat,’ he said.
Despite the voter awareness drive by the poll authorities and NGOs, the poll percentage in Hyderabad slipped from 58 percent in 2009 to 53 percent.
The authorities had taken all measures to ensure the higher turnout. They had not only declared a holiday for all institutions, shops and companies including IT firms but also enforced ensured compliance of their orders. Popular Telugu comedy actor Brahmanandam, seen exhorting voters in advertisements to go out and vote as a brand ambassador of the Election Commission, was in a shock when he found his name missing from the voters' list.
The veteran actor and his wife Lakshmi Wednesday went to a polling centre in the posh Jubliee Hills but were surprised when the polling staff informed them that their names are not there in the voters' list and had to return home diasappointed.
Next Story
