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Hyderabad, Nov 12 (IANS) Telangana’s Jubilee Hills assembly constituency recorded 48.49 per cent voter turnout in the by-election held on Tuesday, as all efforts by election officials to encourage higher voter participation failed to yield the desired results.
The returning officer announced the final voting percentage on Wednesday.
When voting ended at 6 pm on Tuesday, 48.43 percent voting took place. However, voters standing in queues at polling stations were allowed to cast their votes.
Despite the best efforts of election officials, the final voting percentage could not cross 50 per cent, although it is slightly higher than the figure for the 2023 assembly elections, when 47.58 per cent voters had cast their votes.
Since its formation in 2009, the Jubilee Hills assembly constituency has recorded relatively low turnout in consecutive elections. The voting percentage in 2009 was 52.76, the highest ever.
Voting percentage fell to 50.18 percent in 2014, further fell to 45.59 percent in 2018, but increased slightly to 47.58 percent in the 2023 elections.
The District Election Office (DEO) made intensive efforts to increase the voting percentage and officials were optimistic that the turnout could reach 60 percent.
Polling officials conducted a series of targeted awareness campaigns and initiatives aimed at encouraging greater voter participation. Voters were given information about the voting process and the importance of exercising their franchise.
However, the final voter turnout was well below election officials’ expectations.
One disappointing aspect of the by-election was that Tollywood celebrities stayed away from voting.
Some film personalities, including veteran actor Tanikella Bharani, renowned filmmaker SS Rajamouli and actor Gopichand, cast their votes, but industry stalwarts were missing.
Superstar Chiranjeevi and popular stars like Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, Jr NTR, Ramcharan, Allu Arjun, who had voted earlier and appealed to all voters to come forward to exercise their franchise, stayed away this time.
Jubilee Hills is considered the center of the Telugu film industry as the offices of major film studios and various associations of artists, producers and others are located here. Many top actors, directors and producers have their homes in this constituency.
Film Nagar, Krishnanagar, Srinagar Colony, Rehmat Nagar and Yousufguda areas have a good number of film artistes.
Although the constituency gets its name from the posh Jubilee Hills, it also has many middle class, weaker class colonies and slums.
Barring isolated incidents, voting was peaceful at all 407 polling stations in the constituency.
A little more than 4 lakh voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the by-election caused by the death of sitting Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) MLA Maganti Gopinath.
A total of 58 candidates are in the fray, but the main contest is between the ruling Congress party and the opposition BRS and BJP.
BRS has fielded Gopinath’s wife Sunita, while Naveen Yadav has fielded on Congress ticket. BJP has once again fielded Lankala Deepak Reddy.
Counting of votes will take place on November 14.
Although many exit polls had predicted a Congress victory, BRS and BJP were confident of winning the seat.
–IANS
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