Poll time cut short in 13 Assembly segments in Telangana

​Hyderabad: Taking into consideration intelligence inputs, the Election Commission of India has reduced the election timing by one hour in 13 extremist affected Assembly constituencies in Telangana which goes to polls on December 7.  The polling in these constituencies would be from 7 am to 4 pm, while in the rest of the 106 segments, the time would be from 7 am to 5 pm.   

Issuing the election notification, the Commission announced the list of Naxal-infested constituencies - Sirpur, Chennur (SC reserved), Bellampally (SC), Macherial, Asifabad (ST), Manthani, Bhupalpally, Mulugu (ST),  Pinapaka (ST),  Yellandu (ST),  Kothagudem, Aswaraopeta (ST) and the Bhadrachalam (ST) Assembly constituencies.  The last date for submission of the nominations is November 19 and the scrutiny of the nominations will be done on November 20.  The last for the withdrawals will be November 22. 

Elections will be held on December 7. Counting and announcement of the results will be on December 11.  Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajat Kumar said that 68 General Observers,  53 Expenditure Observers and 10 Police Observers will arrive in the state to monitor the whole election process from the date of issuing notification and till the end of poll process.

The total number of polling stations are 32,754, of which 12,245 are located in urban areas and 20,329 in the rural areas. The total number of voters is 2,76,29,610 and it may go up little bit as the Commission is scrutinizing the applications from new voters. Final publication of the voters’ list will be completed by November 19. Once the EC gives its nod, the identified bogus votes will be deleted, he added.

The CEO warned the political parties that stringent action will be taken against the leaders who organize community (caste and religion) based meetings and announce sops to lure the voters which attracted violation of model code. The Commission received complaints against the conduct of such community-based meetings and served notices to the leaders. 

Ministers in the caretaker government were also barred from attending meetings conducted by the corporations.   The number of complaints regarding violation of code received up to Monday morning was 98, of which 12 cases were referred to the ECI, 18 cases were disposed off and reports are awaited for 48 cases. For another 20 cases, reports are under submission.   

The official said that strict vigilance was being maintained in every Assembly constituency particularly the money and liquor flow. Banks have been asked to seek EC permission to transfer money from one chest to another.  The local bank authorities have been asked to alert the election authorities on the deposit of huge money by any individual instantly.