Jubilee Hills bye-election: All arrangements completed in 407 polling stations, say poll body officials

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 24 (ANI): All arrangements have been completed across 407 polling stations for the upcoming Jubilee Hills Assembly Constituency bye-election, stated GHMC Commissioner and District Election Officer (DEO) R.V. Karnan, as per a release by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
Addressing the media at the GHMC Head Office along with Hyderabad Joint Commissioner of Police Tafseer Iqbal, the DEO said that nomination procedures for the bye-election concluded on Friday.
Karnan informed that a total of 59 candidates, including NOTA, are contesting in this election. Due to the high number of candidates, four Ballot Units (BUs) will be used on each Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Consequently, the voting compartments will be larger than usual, he added.
Only the Presiding Officer is permitted inside the polling booth apart from voters, polling personnel, agents, and security staff as per Election Commission guidelines. The Voter Information Slip (VIS) is not an identity card but a convenience tool to help voters locate their polling station. Voters must carry one of the 12 ECI-approved photo identity cards to cast their vote, he clarified.

For conducting the polls, the DEO said 600 Presiding Officers, 600 Assistant Presiding Officers, and 1,200 Polling Officers will be deployed. Extensive SVEEP (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) campaigns are being carried out across the constituency to raise voter awareness and increase voter turnout.
Memorable queue lines for women will be arranged, and transport facilities for differently-abled voters will be provided. To ensure strict implementation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), dedicated monitoring teams are in action, including 15 Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) and 15 Flying Squads (FSTs).
So far, election authorities have seized assets worth 2.83 crore being transported in violation of election norms and registered cases against 11 individuals for MCC violations. Social media activity is also under close watch, and the DEO warned that strict action will be taken against those spreading election-related misinformation.
Karnan emphasised that only Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are authorised to distribute Voter Information Slips to electors. Printing of slips has been completed, and distribution will begin tomorrow. Any unauthorised distribution by others will attract strict action, he warned.
Speaking on the occasion, Joint Commissioner of Police Tafseer Iqbal said that the police department is fully prepared to ensure free, fair, transparent, and peaceful polling. Paramilitary forces will be deployed at all critical polling stations, he added.
The press meet was also attended by Additional Commissioner Hemant Keshav Patil, Vigilance ASP Narasimha Reddy, West Zone DCP Srinivas, Special Branch DCP Apoorva Rao, and GHMC PRO Dasharatham, among others. (ANI)