Hyderabad, Nov 3 (UNI) Amid tight security, voting for the Dubbak Assembly by-election in Telangana began at 0700 hrs on Tuesday.
More than 1.98 lakh electorate, including over 1lakh female voters, are likely to exercise their franchise at 315 polling stations established for the bypoll.
The polling will end at 1800 hrs.
The administration has made arrangements in compliance with COVID-19 norms and PPE kits will be handed over the Covid positive voters besides gloves to the rest.
According to election officials, 'We have issued 1,628 postal ballots apart from service voters. Postal ballots have been issued for those who are 80years of age or above, Specially-abled and Covid-19 patients'.
Around 1,280 ballot units, 550 control units and 580 VVPATs have been deployed for polling.
To ensure that no untoward incident took place during the voting process, four companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed .
According to Siddipet police commissioner Joel Davis, 89 polling stations were identified as critical where paramilitary forces were deployed.
The bypoll is necessitated by the death of sitting TRS MLA Solipeta Ramalinga Reddy due to health problems in August this year and the TRS has fielded his widow Solipeta Sujatha as its candidate.
Around 23 candidates are in the fray for Dubbak seat, where a triangular fight among the ruling TRS, BJP and Congress party is expected.
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