Watch Anchor Rashmi Gautam Questions Missing Names From Voting List
Over 60% polling recorded in Telangana
Over 60 per cent polling was recorded in all the 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in Telangana till 5 p.m., officials said.
According to Chief Electoral Officer Rajath Kumar, 60.57 per cent turnout was recorded in all the constituencies, barring Nizamabad, where polling ends at 6 p.m.
According to figures available till 5 p.m., Medak recorded the highest turnout at 68.60 per cent and Secunderabad the lowest at 39.20 per cent. With 39.49 per cent polling, Hyderabad also witnessed voters’ apathy.
Polling in 13 Maoist-affected Assembly segments under the five Lok Sabha constituencies ended at 4 p.m.
In Nizamabad, where a record number of EVMs are being used to accommodate 185 candidates, polling continues till 6 p.m. The CEO said that those standing in queues would be allowed to vote, irrespective of the time they take.
Nearly 2.97 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes to decide the fortunes of 443 candidates, including 25 women, in the state.
Some of the prominent names in the fray are Telangana Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s daughter K. Kavitha, senior TRS leader Vinod Kumar, state Congress Chief Uttam Kumar Reddy, former Union Minister Renuka Chowdary (Congress) and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi.
The Election Commission has set up 46,120 polling stations and deployed three lakh personnel, including about a lakh securitymen, for the polls.
The counting of votes will be taken up on May 23.
In 2014, the TRS bagged 11 seats in the state, while the Congress secured two. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), AIMIM and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) won a seat each.
The TDP and the YSRCP are not contesting the elections in Telangana this time.
Pic Talk: An Unbelievable Charminar Area On Poll Day
Generally, if it is election time and a poll day, then huge forces will be deployed in the Old City area of Hyderabad as the region is prone to religious fights and breakouts. This sensitive area showcased its new face today, when Telangana went for Parliamentary polls.
Unlike the usual where we see CRPF personnel deployed and police taking guard of all the streets leading to Charminar, there is a different scene at the historical monument. Youths are seen playing cricket on the newly uplifted Charminar square in full joyful manner. As it happens to be a holiday, it looks like after voting, people have joined for a game of cricket.
That’s the reason many politicians dubbed this is a special picture with unbelievable content. But what is so shocking is that polling percentage in these areas also came down as only 39.4% people have voted in Hyderabad, which is seriously a shocker to political parties. Guess what, many voters also got shocked as their votes are deleted.
Hyderabad Voters Disappoint Again
Like the assembly elections, the polling percentage is reported low in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The entire Telangana region reported 48.95 percent of voting till 3 PM while Hyderabad and Secunderabad posted 27.79 percent and 30.20 percent voting respectively.
In the assembly elections, the entire Hyderabad district recorded 48.89 percent of polling and the same scene is going to repeat. This can be largely attributed to deletion and missing of votes. Also the election commission could not allot much time for new voters to enroll.
Despite awareness campaigns by GHMC and other NGOs, people of the twin cities seems to be taking the voting process as a less important work. We have to see what could be the percent of voting by the end of the day.
Kodali Nani manhandles a voter
YSR Congress party’s Gudivada MLA candidate Kodali Nani has landed in a controversy. Nani reportedly manhandled a voter while there was a clash between people and YSRCP leaders.
At a polling booth, YSRCP activists are said to be distributing money to people and encouraging them to vote for FAN symbol. However, people and YSRCP activists had a heated argument with money being distributed unequally. Nani who was nearby, reached the spot and slapped a voter. Being helpless the voter left the place.
The police were not informed about this incident and so no action is being taken against Kodali Nani.
How Royal families of AP have ended their rivalry
The descendants of two royal families have buried the hatchet and come together to fight for the victory of the Telugu Desam Party in Vizianagaram district. The rulers of the Vizianagaram and Bobbili families had been rivals for the last 260 years.
Bobbili was once a small kingdom (and a Samsthan) in the coastal district of Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh ruled by Gopala Krishna Ranga Rao, a Velama scion. Earlier, these districts were called Circar districts. In the 18th century during the rule of Salabat Jung, the Nizam of Hyderabad, these areas were under the rule of Raja Poosapati Vijayaramarja Gajapathi who ruled from Vizianagaram. Bobbili rulers were Velamas by caste and Vizianagaram rulers were Kshatriyas.
Though initially, both the kingdoms shared a cordial relationship, Ranga Rao’s disinterest in paying taxes to the French kicked off a series of disputes. The French interfered and got political while the Vizianagaram Raja was irked by Ranga Rao’s unyielding attitude. The bitter rivalry between the families dates back to the Battle of Bobbili in 1757 when Vizianagaram king, Raja Vijayarama Raju, helped the French attack the Bobbili Fort.
Bobbili troops repulsed the attack twice, but the fort finally fell in the third assault. Many members of the Bobbili royalty chose to commit suicide rather than surrender, after losing the battle. This battle is also one of the most important chapters in the formation of South India as well as a part of the Telugu folklore, known as Bobbili Katha.
After achieving Independence in 1947, both the princely states were merged into the Indian Union. However, the hostility between the families continued, with members of the royal families joining different political parties in the state. This dispute within families also descended into politics as it became as battle between two castes, Velamas and Rajus in Vizianagaram.
In the 2014 elections, Union minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju won the Vizianagaram MP seat contesting on a TDP ticket while Sujaya Krishna Ranga Rao of the Bobbili family registered victory from the Bobbili Assembly constituency as a YSR Congress candidate. Though Raju won the election, he had to face trouble in the Bobbili segment, which is a part of the Vizianagaram Parliamentary constituency.
It is learnt that the TDP supremo, N. Chandrababu Naidu, had invited Ranga Rao to join his party, ahead of the 2019 polls, and he reportedly accepted the proposal. Initially, the decision was objected by Ashok Gajapathi Raju but later he was persuaded by Naidu. Now, Ranga Rao is contesting from the Bobbili constituency again, but on a TDP ticket and he is also extending full support to Gajapathi Raju from his segment.
Modi Maya? EVMs, EVM Buttons & Jagan’s Silence
As India started its election process with Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and other states going for a vote today and there are several discrepancies that shocked the voters.
As many as 100+ booths have started the polling late by 3-4 hours in Andhra Pradesh as the EVM machines have malfunctioned. And then some EVMs got completely shut due to unknown reasons. Then we have places like Vijayawada where voters at Jammichettu center complained that when they pressed the button for TDP, the vote went to BJP. Same is the case in Jammu and Kashmir where some voters complained that when they pressed the button for Congress, the light of ‘lotus’ has blinked.
And then in Andhra Pradesh, outgoing CM Chandrababu and Janasena president Pawan Kalyan have questioned Election Commission about the faulty EVMs, but it is quite surprising that YS Jagan is completely silent about the EVM issue. He just voted and went back to his palatial residence.
People who are following these developments have commented that all these happenings are nothing but “Modi Maya”.
Viral Video: Women Shouted On Kavitha at polling booth
TRS MP Kalwakuntla Kavitha faced the heat of the people at a polling booth. Kavitha voted at Pothangal village of Bhodan constituency and after casting her vote, few women who were standing in queue shouted at Kavitha for not delivering the promises she made five years back.
One of the women’s voice can be clearly audible in the video which has surfaced on the social media. The woman said in the last five years, you have been saying that you will do but nothing is done so far. However, Kavitha maintained her cool and she tried to pacify the women standing in queue. Later she quietly left the polling booth.
As of 9 PM, above 10 per cent people of voted all over Telangana. Mahabubabad Lok Sabha registered highest percent with 14.5 while Secunderabad stood last with four percent of voting.
Chandrababu demands repoll in 150 booths
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday demanded repoll in around 150 polling stations due to the non-functioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Naidu identified more than 150 polling booths in Andhra Pradesh and said, “I demand conduct of repoll in all the above polling stations and such other polling stations where the polling has not commenced even at 9.30 a.m. due to the failure of EVMs.”
Earlier in the day, Naidu had expressed his unhappiness over EVMs not functioning in several polling booths, including the one where state Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi went to cast his vote. Polling was delayed at several places, Naidu told the media.
“A number of complaints are being received from the contesting candidates, the chief election agents and the media that EVMs in about 30 per cent of the polling stations are not functioning. Therefore, polling did not start even at 9.30 a.m. This is unfortunate and a large number of voters are going back disappointed. This is a severe blow to the electoral process.
“A large number of women and old persons are waiting in the hot sun as there are delays in the commencement of the poll and slow polling process. It is likely that many of the voters who returned may not come back for voting even if the polling is resumed after replacement/repair of the existing EVMs. Therefore, there is a need to order repoll in all the polling stations where polling has not commenced up to 9.30 am,” Naidu said in his letter.
Polling is underway in the state for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats.
Naidu said at least now the Election Commission should review its stand on EVMs.
“We have long been saying that there is scope for technical problems and manipulation in EVMs. Even technologically advanced countries are using ballot papers,” the TDP chief said.
He said that 22 political parties in the country demanded that at least the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips be counted. He did not agree with the Election Commission that counting of all VVPAT slips will take six days.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the EC to increase the random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs to five polling booths per assembly segment, from one at present. The court, however, did not agree to the demand by the parties for matching at least 50 per cent of VVPAT slips with EVMs.
Naidu said they were planning to file a review petition for counting of at least 25 per cent of VVPAT slips.
Her vote deleted, Apollo Vice Chairperson fumes
Shobhana Kamineni, Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals, on Thursday said she felt cheated after she found her name deleted from the voter list at the Masab Tank polling booth here.
Shobhana said she was travelling abroad and came back to India to cast her vote at the same polling booth where she had exercise her electoral right for the Telangana Assembly elections in December.
“This is the worst day for me as an Indian citizen. I came to the booth and I was told my vote is deleted,” she said in an video message. “Am I not a Indian citizen? Am I not counted in this country? Is not my vote important?” Kamineni wondered.
The former Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) President said that the deletion of her name from the voter list was a crime against her as a citizen.
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Nizamabad may enter Guinness Book with record EVMs
The Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency, where polling was underway on Thursday along with 16 other constituencies in Telangana, may make it the Guinness World Records for the maximum number of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used.
With 185 candidates, a majority of them farmers, entering the fray, the Election Commission is using 12 EVMs in each polling station.
The polling in this constituency began at 8 a.m., an hour after the process began in the remaining constituencies.
Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said the mock-polling in Nizamabad took two hours and hence they started polling at 8 a.m.
“The polling is going on smoothly barring at two-three places where EVMs were replaced. In the first hour, 3.6 percent polling was recorded,” he said.
Nizamabad not only created the record for the highest number of candidates but also became the first constituency in the country to witness polling with EVMs for such a large number of candidates.
Unlike the normal arrangement of linking one or maximum four EVMs with one control unit in each booth, 12 EVMs were linked to one control unit in each of the 1,778 polling centres in Nizamabad.
The EVMs of M3 version were arranged in ‘L’ shape with each machine carrying a maximum of 16 names.
As many as 178 farmers filed the nominations to highlight the demand for remunerative prices for turmeric and red jowar, posing a challenge for the Election Commission.
With 185 candidates in the fray, it was thought the Election Commission will have to go for ballot papers as a normal EVM can accommodate a maximum of 64 names.
However, the poll panel decided to use the EVMs with latest technology developed by the Electronics Corp of India Ltd (ECIL). The public-sector company was asked to immediately supply 26,820 EVMs, 2,240 control units and 2,600 VVPATs of M3 make.
After the supply of the machines, the authorities faced another challenge of installing them with 12 EVMs connected to one control unit and train the polling staff keeping in view the special requirements of the constituency.
“It was a challenge as 600 engineers from ECIL and BEL and 1,200 other people worked day and night to make all the arrangements,” said Rajat Kumar.
The new system also required deployment of additional polling staff. At every polling booth, two additional officers were deployed.
At the polling centres, the officials installed flexi board with the serial numbers, names, photographs and symbols of the candidate to enable the voters to easily locate their choice.
The poll officials have informed the local representatives of Guinness World Records about the use of record number of EVMs. They may visit the constituency on Thursday or later as EVMs will be stored in strong rooms for six months after the declaration of results.
Some of the farmers contesting the polls had approached the High Court, seeking postponement of polls citing the delay in allocation of poll symbols. The court, however, refused to stay the poll process.
The farmers also held a rally on the last day of the campaign and decided to vote among themselves to teach a lesson to the mainstream parties which failed to address their problems.
The constituency has a little over 15.53 lakh voters including 3.73 lakh farmers .
Telangana Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s daughter K. Kavitha is seeking re-election from the constituency. The Congress has fielded two-time MP Madhu Yaskhi Goud while D. Arvind is contesting on BJP ticket.
Nearly 30 per cent EVMs faulty in AP!
Nearly 30 per cent of the Electronic Voting Machines turned out to be faulty in different parts of Andhra Pradesh, which is going to polls for both 175 state assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabah seats on Thursday.
Reports of malfunctioning of EVMs have been reported from almost all the districts in Andhra Pradesh due to technical snags. Though thousands of enthusiastic voters came to the polling booths well in advance, they could not exercise their vote due to technical snags.
Polling did not commence till 9 am at several places in Anantapur, Guntur, Kadapa and Kurnool due to EVM troubles. According to reports, polling did not start even at 9 pm in the following booths: Jammalamadugu (4), Atmakur (3), Madakasira, Kavali, Nellore city (2), Udayagiri, Uravakonda (7), Guntakal, Proddatur, Singanamala (6), Kalyanadurg (2), Darsi, Tadipatri (2), Yerragondapalem (7), Pamaru (3), Gurajala, Chilakaluripeta, Pedakurapadu (5), Vemuru (2), Parchur (2), Mangalgiri (9), Prathipadu (3), Parchur (3), Vijaywada West, Tadikonda (8), Ponnur (2), Chintalapudi, Eluru (3), Kakinada City, Tuni (5), Rajanagaram, Jaggampeta, Kaikalur, Kovvur (2), Prathipadu (1) and Nuzvid (2).
In Tadipatri, family members of sitting TDP MP J C Diwakar Reddy went back without casting their vote due to faulty EVMs.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Gopala Krishna Dwivedi himself could not cast his vote at Christianpeta Municipal High School in Tadepalli town in Guntur district due to malfunctioning of EVM. He expressed dissatisfaction over the election officials in the polling station for not taking enough precautions.
He told media that the faulty EVMs would be replaced immediately and technical teams would attend to any problems. If necessary, time would be extended to enable the voters to cast their vote wherever polling could not commence on time.
Chandrababu unhappy over non-functioning of EVMs
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday expressed his unhappiness over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) not functioning at several polling booths.
Naidu told the media here that polling was delayed at several places as the EVMs were not functioning. He said an EVM was not working where Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi went to cast his vote.
Polling was underway in the state for 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats.
Naidu said at least now the Election Commission should review its stand on EVMs.
“We have long been saying that there is scope for technical problems and manipulation in EVMs. Even technologically advanced countries are using ballot papers,” the TDP chief said.
He said 22 political parties in the country demanded that at least the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips be counted. He did not agree with the Election Commission that counting of all VVPAT slips will take six days.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the EC to increase the random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs to five polling booths per assembly segment, from one at present.
The court, however, did not agree to the demand by the parties for matching at least 50 percent of VVPAT slips with EVMs.
Naidu said they were planning to file a review petition for counting of at least 25 per cent of VVPAT slips.
Angry Voters Lash Out at Pawan Kalyan
Janasena president Pawan Kalyan didn’t follow basic courtesy to stand in line before casting his vote in Vijayawada. All celebrities and leaders get the royal treatment at polling booth. But most sensible leaders try to stand in queue to send right signals to the public.
However, Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan cast his vote in Vijayawada without following the line.
“We are appalled to know that he is CM candidate but he doesn’t even follow the basic queue,” the young voters of Vijayawada who stood in line to cast their vote at the same polling booth lashed out at Pawan Kalyan.
Janasena chief exercised his vote in Vijayawada for the first time. He is also contesting from two assembly constituencies – Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram.
