Election officials in Hyderabad announced advanced security measures for the upcoming Jubilee Hills by-election. RV Karnan, the district election officer, revealed plans to deploy drones across 130 locations during a press conference at the GHMC headquarters on Sunday.
The drone surveillance will cover 407 polling stations throughout the constituency. These aircraft will stream live footage and monitor both voting centers and nearby areas in real-time. Voting will continue until 6 pm on election day.
The by-election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 11, with results announced on November 14. Officials have implemented a token system to ensure orderly voting and prevent any discrimination against voters.
A total of 58 candidates are competing in this electoral contest. Technical preparations include setting up electronic voting machines with one control unit, four ballot units, and one VVPAT device at each station. Election officials promised immediate replacement of any malfunctioning equipment.
Security arrangements involve deploying over 1,760 additional personnel, including both paramilitary forces and local police officers. Joint Commissioner Tafseer Iqbal identified 226 critical polling stations spread across 65 locations that will receive extra security coverage.
Law enforcement has already taken preventive action by binding over 230 rowdy sheeters and registering 27 cases for violating the Model Code of Conduct. The official campaign period concluded on Sunday.
BRS has nominated Maganti Sunitha, widow of the late Maganti Gopinath, as their candidate. Congress selected Naveen Yadav to represent the party, while BJP chose Lanka Deepak Reddy, who previously lost this seat in the 2023 Assembly elections.
Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM has announced support for the Congress candidate, creating an interesting political alliance.
This election carries significant importance for the ruling Congress party, which aims to capture the seat from the opposition BRS. Congress failed to win any constituencies in the Greater Hyderabad region during the 2023 state elections, making this victory crucial for establishing urban political presence.
