Hyderabad: Civic body mounts drive to increase polling %

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, in whose limits elections to choose 150 corportors are to be held on December 1 from 7 am to 6 pm, has taken up massive awareness programmes to increase the percentage of voting.

According to an official release on Sunday, the programmes include putting up huge hoardings, activating 1,500 cell phone ring tones and involving self-help women's groups as part of the special voter awareness drive. As part the drive, the GHMC has already convened meetings in circles with representatives of the resident welfare associations.

The civic body has taken up the awareness through know your vote on FM radio, TV scrolling, besides hoardings on RTC bus shelters. Besides, it has arranged screening of short films in the electronic media for the benefit of voters.

The release stated that the GHMC has already distributed voter slips to all eligible persons who can download them through my ghmc app. The voter slip can be secured if the name of the person and the ward number is entered in the vote option of the app, which also shows the location of the concerned polling booth on the google map. if any elector has not received the voter slips, they can download the same through GHMC App / tsec.gov.in / ghmc.gov.in

Meanwhile, another release said all electors who have been issued EPICs shall have to produce them to exercise their franchise. Those who are not able to produce EPICs, will have show any one of the (18) alternative photo ID documents for establishment their identity. Photo voter slips will not be considered as an alternate identification document. During the process of identification voters are required to lower the facemask for identification, when required. At any given time, only voter shall be allowed to stand in front of each polling official maintaining social distance.

The release said a voter shall come to polling station invariably wearing mask. without which he/she will not be allowed into the station. He/she shall not bring cell phones and other electronic gadgets inside.

In view of Covid-19, mandatory sanitisation is being made at every polling station a day before and also on the day of poll. Sanitiser is being provided at the entry/exit point of every station, where marking is being done to demonstrate social distancing for queue. Only the voter shall be allowed to stand in front of each polling official, maintaining social distance.