The Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the polling hours in various assembly segments of Telangana for the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for Phase 4 on May 13. The new timing would be 7 am to 6 pm against the earlier 7 am to 5 pm.
As per Wednesday’s India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin, the heatwave conditions will prevail in most districts of the state until May 6.
While the extended time for voting will be applicable in all assembly segments of 12 Lok Sabha constituencies, in the remaining five parliamentary seats, the timing will apply in certain assembly segments, EC said in a notification.
The hours of polling will be 7 am to 6 pm in the Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Zahirabad, Medak, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Chevella, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool (SC), Nalgonda and the Bhongir Lok Sabha seats.
The new timing will also be applicable in five assembly segments of the Adilabad Lok Sabha seat, three of Peddapalle seat, six of Warangal (SC) seat, three of Mahabubabad (ST) seat and five of the Khammam Lok Sabha seat, the EC said in its notification.
The state encompasses 17 Lok Sabha constituencies, which include Adilabad, Peddapalle, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Zahirabad, Medak, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Chevella, Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda, Bhongir, Warangal, Mahabubabad, and Khammam.
In the 2019 general elections, the BRS secured victory in nine Lok Sabha seats out of the 17 in Telangana. However, following the party’s setback in the assembly elections, five seats were lost to the two national parties due to defections. Among them, P Ramulu from Nagarkurnool and B B Patil from Zaheerabad joined the BJP. In contrast, Venkatesh Netha from Peddapalli, Pasunuri Dayakar from Warangal, and G Ranjith Reddy from Chevella joined the Congress.
Union home minister Amit Shah, during his public rally at Siddipet on April 25, exuded confidence that the BJP would win not less than 12 out of 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana. “However, we are confident of reaching the double-digit mark this time – winning at least 10 seats,” a senior BJP leader said.
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