3.30 crore voters across Telangana; 8.5 lakh 'questionable' voters deleted since December

HYDERABAD: Over the past three months following the Telangana Assembly elections, approximately 8.5 lakh names of questionable or deceased voters in Hyderabad have been removed from the electoral rolls, while 12.45 lakh new voters have been registered, resulting in a net addition of around four lakh voters, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Telangana, Vikas Raj, revealed during a press conference on Monday.

Additionally, 7.69 lakh corrections have been made in the electoral rolls during this period, said the CEO.

"Before the Assembly elections, between 2022 and 2023, approximately 22 lakh fake voter names were removed, highlighting the continuous effort to eliminate fraudulent entries. As of March 17, 2024, the total number of registered voters in the State stands at 3,30,00,088," informed Vikas Raj.

The deadline for submitting Form 6 for new voter enrollment is April 15, while submissions for Form 7 and 8 are no longer accepted.

Providing further details, the CEO disclosed that seizures totaling Rs 243 crore were made for violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) following the Assembly elections held on November 30, 2023, with an additional Rs 21.63 crore seized since March 1, 2024.

Vikas Raj also discussed the characteristics of various Lok Sabha constituencies, noting that Hyderabad was the smallest in terms of area, while Adilabad was the largest. Mahabubabad has the smallest population or number of electors, whereas Malkajgiri is the largest constituency.

Approximately 9,000 critical polling stations have been identified across the State.

The CEO said that efforts were being made to enhance voter turnout, with a focus on 5,000 polling stations with the lowest pollution percentage during the Assembly elections.

Regarding the MCC, the CEO emphasized that all guidelines are available for political parties and the public.

The use of official or Government vehicles for campaigning or any other election-related purposes was strictly prohibited.

Regulations are in place for the use of political flags on two-wheelers and in rallies.

Permission is required for road shows, which should only occur on holidays, avoid peak hours, and not occupy more than half of the road.

The display of animals and participation of school children in uniform are prohibited.

Between 10 pm and 6 am, the use of loudspeakers is banned, and noise levels should not exceed permissible limits.

Political advertisements intended for electronic and social media must be pre-certified by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committees (MCMC).

Officials working on deputation are accountable to the Election Commission and may face consequences for any violations or negligence of duties.