Telangana polls: 36.68% turnout recorded till 1 PM; here are 10 updates about polling

Telangana: Telangana recorded 36.68% voter turnout till 1 PM.

Polling began for 119 Telangana assembly constituencies at 7 AM today. People started queuing up at the polling booths from the early morning to exercise their right to franchise.

While the BRS aims to retain power for a third time, the Congress is keen to upset the ruling party's chances. The BJP, also keen on forming its first government in the southern state, has left no stone unturned to ensure victory.

Here are 10 updates about the polls:

1. There are 3.26 crore eligible voters. They include 1,63,13,268 male and 1,63,02,261 female electors.

2. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao accompanied by his wife arrived to cast a vote at Chintamadaka village of Siddipet Rural Mandal.

3. Union Minister and state BJP president G Kishan Reddy, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao, his sister and MLC Kavitha, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, and Minister Harish Rao were among the leaders who exercised their franchise in the initial hours of polling.

4. Several film personalities including Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Nani, Ravi Teja, Venkatesh, Allu Arjun, Rana, and Nitin, cast their ballot.

5. Congress alleged a violation of the poll code by BRS leader Kavitha by appealing to the people to vote for the ruling party. The party brought it to the notice of Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj

6. Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been deployed at several places in Hyderabad's old city to ensure peaceful polling.

7. Several voters in the Goshamahal constituency alleged that they had to wait for over an hour as the polling was delayed due to a technical glitch in EVMs at booth number 25. Voters demanded the installation an additional EVMs. However, the request was reportedly denied. Many of them returned to their houses without casting their votes.

8. Telangana Congress alleged that the BRS party Ibrahimpatnam candidate Manchi Reddy has drawn a line under his name in the EVM implying voters to vote for him.

9. Many minority votes are reportedly missing in Musheerabad Consitituency, leaving people disappointed as they return with sad faces. Inevery booth 80-140 votes are missing.

10. An endless stream of vehicles on Vijayawada, Warangal, and Mahabubnagar Highways. People are on their way to their towns and villages to cast their votes, including Nalgonda, Suryapet, Khammam, Warangal, and Mahabubnagar.