Chennai: Polling for the high stake civic elections in Hyderabad began this morning.
Only three per cent of voters turned out to vote in the first couple of hours as polls to 150 wards of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
Tight security arrangements were seen at hyper-sensitive Gowlipura ward.
The Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) has made elaborate arrangements for the balloting process by deploying 48,000 (including reserve) polling personnel and 52,500 strong police force.
According to reports, 74,44,260 voters are expected to exercise their franchise using ballot papers to elect their representatives. The polling that began at 7 am, will come to an end at 6 pm.
The total number of contesting candidates is 1,122. The Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) has made elaborate arrangements for the balloting process by deploying 48,000 (including reserve) polling personnel and 52,500 strong police force.
Buoyed by its victory in the recent bypoll to Dubbak Assembly constituency, the BJP conducted a powerful campaign to win the GHMC polls. Campaign of the ruling TRS was led by Minister K T Rama Rao.
The Congress campaign was led by its State president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Working President A Revanth Reddy and other senior leaders. Once a major force in the state, the TDP sought to revive its fortunes highlighting the development witnessed in the city during N Chandrababu Naiduās regime as Chief Minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh.