GHMC Hyderabad Election 2020 Voting day LIVE Updates: Voting for 150 wards ends

36.73% voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in the GHMC election. 

29.76% polling has been recorded till 4 pm in the GHMC polls. 

25.34% polling has been recorded till 3 pm in the GHMC polls. 

11.54% polling has been recorded till 11 am in the greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections.

Home Minister of Telangana Mohammed Mahmood Ali, casts his vote at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, in Hyderabad 

Telangana continued to see a downward trend in daily COVID-19 cases with 502 fresh infections and three related deaths being reported, taking the tally to more than 2.70 lakh.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 101, followed by Medchal Malkajgiri 46 and Bhadradri Kothagudem 33, a government bulletin said on Tuesday providing details as of 8 pm on November 30.

The toll rose to 1,461 with three more fatalities. As many as9,627 patients are under treatment and46,597 samples were tested on Sunday. Cumulatively, over 55 lakh samples have been tested till date.

3.96 % polling has been recorded till 9 am in the greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections.

The Joint Commissioner of Police for Central Hyderabad P Viswaprasad on Monday categorically denied reports of an attempt to murder BJP Telangana unit president Bandi Sanjay and said that some TV channels are spreading baseless rumours. "Some TV channels are showing incorrect news that there was an attempt to murder Bandi Sanjay. This information is wrong. Please don't believe such rumours," Viswaprasad said in a press release.

"An oral altercation occurred between two political groups leading to damage of glass of the car. A case is registered by the central zone police station. There is no injury to anyone," he added.

BJP leader G Vivek Venkataswamy has filed a Rs 100 crores defamation suit against Telangana Chief Minister KC Rao alleging that the latter dragged his name in a false case related to the recovery of cash during the Dubbaka by-elections. Venkataswamy told news agency ANI, "During the Dubbaka by-election, the police had found Rs 1 crore. Then the Chief Minister directed the police commissioner to link that case to me and file a false case against me just because I have been exposing the illegal activities of Rao."

"Rao has tried to drag me into a case not related to me and damage my reputation. So, I have filed a 100 crores defamation suit against him and a notice has been sent to him to apologise to me within 7 days or action will be taken," he added.

"Following all COVID Safety Protocols, casted my vote along with my family at Kachiguda Polling Station earlier this morning. Voting is our constitutional right and all of us must exercise it in the interest of an able administration," the BJP leader said.  

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Hyderabad as part of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) election campaign would be a heavy blow for Chief Minister KC Rao's rule in Telangana beginning from capturing the GHMC, state BJP spokesperson NV Subhash said on Monday.

NV Subhash while speaking to ANI said, "Amit Shah visited the Bhagyalakshmi temple in the old city and participated in the campaign for GHMC elections. His visit would definitely change the mindset of the voters who believed till now in KCR as the champion of Telangana state." Subhash added that Amit Shah's visit to Hyderabad sent a strong message to the people that BJP was going to capture power in GHMC.

In 2007, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation was formed by merging 12 municipalities and 8 gram panchayats with the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad. Thus, 4 districts namely Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medchal–Malkajgiri, and Sangareddy fall within the limits of the GHMC. The election to 150 wards of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is being conducted in the exercise of powers conferred by Articles 243-K and 243-ZA of the Constitution read with Sections 7(1), 9, 10 and 24 of the GHMC Act, 1955.

More than 74 lakh people are eligible to vote in this election. 9101 polling stations have been designated for 150 wards. The election will be conducted using ballot papers instead of EVMs. Moreover, the polling time has been extended by an hour, i.e from 7 am to 6 pm owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Telangana State Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for the balloting process by deploying 48,000 polling personnel and 52,500 police personnel. The polls for the new term of the GHMC will be held on December 1 followed by the counting of votes on December 4. 

Parties in fray

In the first election held after the formation of Telangana in 2016, TRS secured a comfortable majority with 99 wins with AIMIM coming a distant second amid its candidates emerging victorious in 44 wards. On the other hand, BJP, Congress and TDP won 4, 2 and 1 wards respectively. In the current election, several parties such as TRS, AIMIM, BJP, Congress, TDP. CPI, CPI(M), etc. have fielded their candidates. Overall, 1122 candidates are in the fray. Among the main contenders, TRS is contesting in all 150 wards, BJP in 149, Congress in 146, TDP in 106 and AIMIM in 51. It is pertinent to note that TRS and AIMIM are contesting the civic polls separately. 

High-octane election campaign

In a departure from its usual low profile in Hyderabad, BJP went all guns blazing in the GHMC poll campaign. This comes in the wake of the party's victory in 4 Telangana Lok Sabha seats and the Dubbak Assembly constituency. Post the NDA's success in Bihar, BJP named its General Secretary Bhupender Yadav as its in-charge of the GHMC polls. Moreover, key BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party president J P Nadda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy and BJYM national president Tejaswi Surya played a crucial role in the election campaign.

BJP has highlighted the alleged misgovernance of the ruling TRS-AIMIM, citing their mismanagement of the situation arising out of the recent floods in Hyderabad for instance. Divisive issues such as action against illegal Rohingyas and the proposed renaming of Hyderabad to Bhagyanagar also cropped up during the campaign. Furthermore, Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleged that there is a secret pact between AIMIM and TRS. On the other hand, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi addressed numerous public meetings and hit back at BJP. Additionally, TRS leaders including Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, his son KT Rama Rao and daughter K Kavitha too launched a spirited campaign.