Hyderabad: For the first time in 22 years, elected leaders in Hyderabad, including Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs), and corporators of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), cast their votes on Wednesday. They voted to elect a candidate for the Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency (LAC) seat in the Legislative Council. The overall voter turnout was 78.57 percent. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party boycotted the election.
According to Election Returning Officer Anurag Jayanti, the voting process went smoothly and peacefully. Voting took place between 8 am and 4 pm. Out of the 112 eligible voters at the two polling booths set up at the GHMC headquarters, 88 people voted. This included 22 out of 31 ex-officio members and 66 out of 81 corporators.
The voting percentage increased steadily throughout the day. By 10 am, 37.51 percent had voted. This rose to 77.68 percent by 2 pm and reached 78.57 percent by the end of voting at 4 pm.
Several BJP leaders, including MPs Eatala Rajender, Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, and corporators, visited the Bhagyalakshmi Temple near Charminar before casting their votes. They wore black ribbons to protest against the recent killing of tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir. BJP MP Dr. K Laxman also voted, as did BJP MLA T Raja Singh, who had earlier made critical comments about his party’s candidate.
Leaders from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), including MP Asaduddin Owaisi, MLAs Akbaruddin Owaisi and Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala, as well as MLCs and corporators, voted before noon.
On the other hand, BRS corporators stayed away from the polls following their party’s decision to boycott the election. Although the Congress party did not field a candidate, its members still voted. Congress leaders such as Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi, MLC Balmoor Venkat, Amir Ali Khan, and Professor M Kodandaram cast their votes. Sources suggest that the Congress votes likely supported the AIMIM candidate.
Election observers, including Surendra Mohan and the Returning Officer, visited the polling booths to keep watch on the process. After voting ended, the ballot boxes were transported under tight security to a reception center. Following inspection, they were stored in a strong room, which is also being guarded. The votes will be counted at 8 am on April 25 at Panwar Hall in the GHMC headquarters.
