Hyderabad news: All preparations underway for counting of votes for Lok Sabha elections
Hyderabad: As the counting clock for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections draws closer on Tuesday, all three major political parties in Telangana are pinning their hopes on voters keen to outperform each other. With 525 candidates vying for victory from 17 parliamentary constituencies, the stakes are high and all eyes are on the voters’ verdict. Apart from the parliamentary election results, the by-election results for the Secunderabad Cantonment constituency will also be announced on Tuesday. The by-election was necessitated due to the sudden death of sitting BRS MLA G Lasya Nandita in a road accident. Telangana witnessed 65.67 per cent of the 3.32 crore voters casting their votes in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 13. Hyderabad is set to host major industry events at the Hitex Exhibition Centre from June 21. This marks a rise of 2.83 per cent compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when the BRS had won 9 seats, the BJP 4, the Congress 3 and the AIMIM 1 seat. Party agents are required to be present at the counting centre by 7 am without electronic devices such as cellphones to ensure a smooth process.
As per Rule 54A of the Election Rules 1961, counting of votes will begin from postal ballots at 8 am, followed by counting from electronic voting machines (EVMs) at 8:30 am. Initial trends are expected within an hour. The number of rounds for counting varies, with a maximum of 24 rounds in Choppadandi, Yakutpura and Devarakonda assembly constituencies and a minimum of 13 rounds in Armoor, Bhadrachalam and Aswarapete constituencies. The entire process is expected to end around 3 pm. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made elaborate arrangements for the counting process at 34 locations across the state amid tight security. Around 12 companies of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed along with the state police to ensure smooth completion of the counting process.
Apart from banning the sale of liquor from 6 am on June 4 to 6 am on June 5, Section 144 has been imposed and entry of unauthorised persons within 100 metres of the counting hall is prohibited. Despite varying exit poll predictions, both the Congress and the BJP are aiming to secure a majority of seats from Telangana, which could be crucial to form the central government in New Delhi. Meanwhile, the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS), buoyed by its victory in the recent Mahbubnagar bypoll, is hoping for a significant revival after the setback in the 2023 assembly elections, to potentially play a key role in national politics.
