Actors\, bureaucrats among the first to cast vote

Hyderaba

Actors, bureaucrats among the first to cast vote

(Clockwise) Actor Chiranjeevi, his wife Surekha, son Ram Charan with wife Upasana Kamineni; actors Allu Arjun and Rana Daggubati; director K. Raghavendra Rao and his wife; DGP M. Mahender Reddy and his wife; IT and Industries Secretary Jayesh Ranjan, showing inked finger after casting their vote in Hyderabad on Thursday.

(Clockwise) Actor Chiranjeevi, his wife Surekha, son Ram Charan with wife Upasana Kamineni; actors Allu Arjun and Rana Daggubati; director K. Raghavendra Rao and his wife; DGP M. Mahender Reddy and his wife; IT and Industries Secretary Jayesh Ranjan, showing inked finger after casting their vote in Hyderabad on Thursday.  

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Actor Chiranjeevi and his family members cast vote in the first hour of polling at Jubilee Hills

On a day when city’s roads lived up to every citizen’s wish—free of bumper-to-bumper traffic, several celebrities and bureaucrats turned up at their respective polling stations early on Thursday, soon after the polling began at 7 a.m., to cast their vote. The voting, however, picked up only after 11.30 a.m.

The polling went on unhurried and hassle-free with voters of all ages and sections walking in to cast their vote. The city wore a deserted look not just because it was a holiday for government offices, but most of the commercial establishments remained closed to let their staff cast their vote. Also, many people have gone to their native places in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to cast their vote.

Mega star Chiranjeevi with his wife, daughter and son Ram Charan Teja and his wife Upasana Kamineni cast their vote in the first hour of polling at Jubilee Hills under Secunderabad constituency. Other popular film stars Allu Arjun, Junior NTR and his wife and mother stood in queue waiting for their turn at a polling station at Jubilee Hills. Also, Akkineni Amala and veteran actor G. Krishna were among those who exercised their franchise.

Among political leaders, TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and his wife cast their vote at a polling station at Banjara Hills, while Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his wife exercised their franchise at Chintamadaka in Siddipet. Acting Telangana High Court Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan, DGP Mahender Reddy and his wife, Cyberabad Police Commissioner Sajjanar and his wife, Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi and his wife were among those who cast their vote in the city.

Badminton player Jwala Gutta, who could not vote in the December Assembly elections last year as her name was missing in the voters’ list, voted along with her mother and sister in the current elections.

Mr. Sajjanar said ‘Vote first, work next’ should be the motto to increase the voting percentage in the city. People should exercise their franchise to make democracy win, he added.

Senior citizens, youngsters and physically-challenged, who were assisted by volunteers provided by the city authorities, cast their vote at Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, Srinagar Colony, Somajiguda, Musheerabad and Secunderabad polling stations under Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency.

Presiding officers at many polling stations in the city said they did not face any issues with regard to electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPATs.

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