Hyderabad, it’s time to vote

Two constituencies, 75 candidates and over 45.91 lakh voters – the stage is set for the most significant event in Hyderabad city.

Amidst election authorities’ strict vigil, citizens will cast their ballots and choose their representatives for the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Hours before the polls would begin, on Sunday, polling officers from across the city queued up at the Distribution and Reception Centres (DRCs) to collect their polling material which includes Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Reaching their respective polling stations before sundown with police protection, the equipment was set up to ensure the voting begins at 7 am this morning.

To facilitate voting, offices, educational institutions, banks and businesses will be closed today. As it would



be considered a long weekend, there are concerns that citizens would skip polls for a vacation. However, election authorities are pulling all stops to ensure high voter turnout.

As a last minute effort, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday sent bulk messages to citizens encouraging them to vote. The text messages sent in Telugu, Hindi, and English read, “Don’t miss out on doing your bit for the country. Voting day is no-excuse day! Cast your vote and join the biggest celebration of democracy,” along with a link to check voting-related information.

The last two months saw heightened election-related activity in the city, be it the over 30,000 election officials working round-the-clock to conduct seamless elections or the scores of political party workers and candidates who campaigned tirelessly.