City’s poor polling percentage is giving jitters to district electoral officials and has driven them to devise strategies to increase the voting percentage this time around. All depends upon the political leaders and parties performing in the respective constituencies. Amid keen sense of surroudings, the Hyderabadi voter, it is evident to get the less percentage of polling in the upper middle class and low class voters.
None among the 15 constituencies in Hyderabad district have recorded at least 60% of voting in the 2014 general elections, as against over 72% State average. The overall voting percentage for the city was a mere 53%. This is due to the non-performing candidates, who are in fray, and old-age politicians who got ticket and do less public work.
As per the details shared by the GHMC, a total of 182 polling stations recorded below 40% voting, while 18 among them recorded less than 30%, and five, less than 20% voting.
On the brighter side, 48 polling stations recorded more than 75% of polling and 71 stations above 70%. Secunderabad constituency topped the list with 56.95% voting, while Malakpet recorded the lowest at 47.62%.
Interestingly, a majority of the polling stations that had recorded low and high voting are from Old City. Here voters are lured with money and ignorance plus muslim sentiment. Provocative promises, speeches and religious exploitation.
Yakutpura constituency with 31 polling stations saw less than 40% voting. Nampally had less than 40% voting in 29 polling stations, followed by Malakpet with 20 stations. Karwan recorded less than 40% in 17 polling stations and more than 75% in 13, while Charminar had more than 70% in 14 constituencies, with seven among them recording more than 75%.
Bahadurpura too recorded more than 70% in 13 stations, with seven among them seeing more than 75% polling.
Now, the GHMC, acting as a nodal authority for election-related arrangements in the city, has been taking up campaigns such as ‘Know Your Vote’ to increase enrolment of voters.
Besides, a competition has been announced so that voters from the city can send photos and captions related to elections to 7993153333 through WhatsApp, to win a prize.
Free transportation facilities to the polling stations would be provided to the physically-challenged voters, while awareness programmes are being conducted on the use of EVMs and VVPATs.
Meetings would be conducted with colony welfare associations and self help groups, besides polling agents and booth-level officers in the coming days, District Election Officer M. Dana Kishore informed through a press statement. Let’s wait and see this new initiative will makes the authorities happy with higher side of polling. #KhabarLive
