Tension, EVM glitches disrupt Jubilee Hills by-poll in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Amid sporadic disturbances, over 9 percent turnout was recorded in the Jubilee Hills Assembly by-poll in the first two hours.

Polling for the Jubilee Hills Assembly byelection began on a brisk note. By 9 am, about 9.2% of voters had exercised their franchise.

After an initially slow start, polling picked up momentum through the morning, though the process was marred by minor clashes between rival party workers, allegations of cash distribution, and technical glitches in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at several polling stations.

Voting commenced at 7 am and will continue till 6 p.m., with 4,01,365 voters expected to cast their votes across 407 polling stations. Officials said the polling process was monitored through webcasting and drone surveillance across 139 sensitive areas.

Slow start to polling

Polling began on a sluggish note in the early hours, possibly due to the cool morning weather. Sparse queues were seen outside several polling booths during the initial hours. However, voter turnout gradually improved by mid-morning.

Political party workers, meanwhile, stationed themselves near polling centres, helping voters with identification and movement, while keeping a close watch on rival groups.

Clashes at Vengal Rao Nagar

Mild tension erupted at Vengal Rao Nagar when Congress and BRS workers clashed at booth number 180 over allegations of cash distribution.

Congress leaders accused BRS cadre of luring voters with money, while BRS members claimed they were merely assisting citizens in locating their names in the electoral rolls. Police intervened quickly and dispersed both groups, restoring calm.

EVM snags disrupt polling

Polling was briefly disrupted across multiple centres due to technical glitches in EVMs. At least 11 booths in Borabanda, Rahmatnagar, Vengal Rao Nagar, and Shaikpet reported malfunctions.

Polling came to a standstill at booth number 348 in Borabanda, while booths 165 and 166 in Rahmatnagar and 76 and 78 in Vengal Rao Nagar also faced interruptions.

At Shaikpet, voting began late after officials fixed a technical fault at booth number 30B. District Election Officer R.V. Karnan, who inspected polling in Erragadda, said all glitches were promptly rectified and voting resumed smoothly thereafter.

Tension in Borabanda

At Borabanda, tension escalated after Congress leader Baba Fasiuddin allegedly attacked a BRS activist assisting voters.

BRS candidate Maganti Sunitha, who cast her vote earlier at booth number 290 of the Sri Krishna Devaraya Welfare Centre in Yellareddyguda, condemned the incident and accused the police of bias towards the ruling Congress.

“The police must remain neutral and ensure peaceful polling. Silence will no longer be an option if such incidents continue,” she said, urging citizens to vote without fear.

Party symbol violation alleged

Another round of tension flared at booth number 337 in Borabanda, where BRS workers objected to Congress supporters wearing T-shirts resembling the party symbol and displaying serial number 2.

Terming it a clear violation of the Election Code of Conduct, BRS leaders complained to the police and sought immediate action against those allegedly attempting to influence voters within polling premises.

Non-Local Congress leaders under scanner

Several non-local Congress MLAs and MLCs were reportedly spotted near polling centres in violation of election norms. Government Whip Beerla Ailaiah and MLC Shankar Naik, along with their followers, were seen at the SDP Hotel in Rahmatnagar division, allegedly asserting influence on local voters.

Cash-for-Votes allegation

In a separate incident, BRS workers caught a Congress leader allegedly distributing money near booth number 205 in Jawaharnagar, Vengal Rao Nagar division. The accused was handed over to the election authorities for necessary action.

Strict vigil and smooth progress

Despite isolated incidents, polling was conducted under tight police security with constant monitoring through webcasting and drone surveillance in sensitive areas. Officials said voting was continuing peacefully after brief interruptions and that counting of votes would be held on November 14.