Hyderabad witnesses lowest voter turnout at 39.17%, puzzling citizens and parties
HYDERABAD: The latest information from the ECI at 6 pm on Monday reveals that the Hyderabad Parliamentary constituency recorded the lowest voter turnout at 39.17 percent, leaving party workers, social activists, and citizens baffled. Despite calls from over 140 masjids in the last two days, urging people to vote, the Old City saw a poor percentage until 6 pm.
The Old City of Hyderabad is not voting for several reasons. G Niranjan, vice president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress committee, stated that sitting Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi is not receiving the expected support from voters. Similarly, other candidates like Sameer Waliullah from the Congress party and Madhavi Latha from the BJP also failed to capture people’s interests.
“People are expressing dissatisfaction with Hyderabad’s politics and abstaining from voting,” Niranjan added.
Despite the Congress party’s efforts, including releasing special notes on job prospects and promises for Old City development, the low turnout indicates their failure to convert efforts into votes.
A resident of Charminar, speaking anonymously, noted the absence of AIMIM workers motivating people to vote as usual. Ground activity was minimal, leading only highly motivated individuals to cast their votes.
Controversy at polling booth
In Hyderabad, controversy arose when a video went viral showing BJP candidate K Madhavi Latha asking burqa-clad women to reveal their faces for identification. She faces AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and was booked by election authorities following the incident. Madhavi Latha has seen moving from one polling booth to other to oversee the voter turnout. She appealed everyone to vote.
Disappointment and Confusion Among Voters
The absence of distributed voter slips by election officials contributed to the low turnout. Despite availability online, few downloaded them in time. Additionally, voters who participated in the Telangana Assembly election in November 2023 couldn’t find their names on Monday’s voters’ list, causing confusion and disenchantment. Social activist SQ Masood highlighted missing names in a tweet. He said “Yesterday evening I came to know that the names of 10 family members including mine were deleted from electoral rolls (of Bahadurpura Assembly constituency) without any notice.”
Empty lanes and closed doors reflected the reluctance of residents to vote, attributed to a lack of development and enthusiasm from AIMIM cadre. Voters expressed a lack of faith in leadership and dissatisfaction with available choices. Muftis’ appeals and favorable weather failed to boost turnout. Malfunctioning EVMs further hindered voting, with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urging patience for repairs.
CM Revanth Reddy reorganizes disaster management for Greater Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has decided to assign critical responsibilities to the Disaster Management Department within Greater Hyderabad. He has directed officials to implement structural changes and redistribute responsibilities accordingly. In a review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday evening, the Chief Minister discussed the reorganization with officials from Municipal Administration, HMDA, and Musi Development.
Expansion of disaster management responsibilities
Recognizing the geographic expansion of Hyderabad, the Chief Minister ordered the Disaster Management Department to extend its jurisdiction to the Outer Ring Road. He suggested including GHMC, 27 surrounding municipalities and corporations, and 33 gram panchayats within its service area. The department will be renamed the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring Protection (HYDRA). The Chief Minister proposed appointing a DIG-level officer as the director and SP-level officers as additional directors. He also recommended special teams from GHMC, HMDA, the Water Board, city traffic, and other departments to join this new division.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need for the Disaster Management Department to offer continuous services to city residents, not just during floods or emergencies. HYDRA should actively address all issues faced by Hyderabad’s citizens, including preserving the city’s tanks and ponds, protecting government properties from encroachments, and managing hoardings and flex banners. Additionally, HYDRA will oversee water pipelines, electricity supply lines, drainage, flood management, and traffic control.
Focus on heritage and infrastructure projects
Chief Minister Reddy directed the acceleration of the Musi River Development Project, aiming to elevate Hyderabad’s international reputation. He stressed the importance of working towards the government’s goal of transforming this project into a landmark. He also ordered officials to take necessary actions to restore historical buildings and structures within the city. The GHMC presented a PowerPoint on various heritage sites, such as the City Library, Charminar Ayurvedic Hospital, and Nizamia Observatory etc. The Chief Minister encouraged exploring ways to develop these sites for tourism and integrating feasible ones into the Musi River Development Project.
The Chief Minister instructed Chief Secretary Shantikumar to draft a comprehensive reorganization plan, including staffing, duties, and budget allocations for HYDRA. He also emphasized identifying key areas where the Disaster Management Department can enhance its operations.
The meeting included Chief Secretary Shantikumar, Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development Danakishore, GHMC Commissioner Amrapali, GHMC Vigilance Disaster Management Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, and Hyderabad Water Board MD Ashok Reddy.
