Telangana: Huzurabad bypoll logs 86.6% polling, sets new record

HYDERABAD: Huzurabad bypoll on Saturday logged 86.64% turnout, an all-time record for the constituency. The previous best was 84.42% in the 2018 assembly polls.
Both TRS and BJP have claimed that the high turnout would benefit them respectively.
Of the five mandals in the constituency, Ellanthakunta recorded the highest, 90.73% of its electorate casting their vote, followed by Veenavanka at 88.84%, Kamalapur 87.57%, Huzurabad 85.66% and Jammikunta 83.66%.
Of 2,36,873 voters, 2,05,236 had exercised their franchise, registering 86.64% polling.
While 87.05% male voters cast their vote, 86.25% women exercised their franchise.
Huzurabad assembly constituency returning officer Ch Ravinder Reddy said all arrangements were being made for counting of votes on Tuesday (November 2). The result would be declared on the same day.
He appealed to the people not to believe in social media rumours that one of the voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) was shifted in a private vehicle in violation of election rules.
BJP had raised an objection and also lodged a complaint with the chief electoral officer (CEO) about the VVPAT issue following which CEO Shashank Goel sought a report on VVPAT issue from the election officials in the Huzurabad constituency and Karimnagar district.
Ravinder Reddy told reporters on Sunday that the local election officials had identified the technical glitch in the VVPAT during mock polling itself and had replaced it with a reserve VVPAT.
“When the defective VVPAT was being shifted in a bus it was videographed by someone who made it viral on social media resulting in rumours. All rules were followed and there was nothing unofficial about it. The defective VVPAT was shifted from one government vehicle to another government and stored officially. Don’t believe in social media rumours,” he appealed to the people and political parties.