Low Voter Turnout Plagues Greater Hyderabad Polling
Polling in the Greater Hyderabad area, encompassing the Lok Sabha constituencies of Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Malkajgiri, and Chevella, witnessed significant apathy among voters, marking a concerning trend for the region.
Despite concerted efforts by political parties and election authorities to encourage voter participation, urban voters displayed notable indifference towards the electoral process.
Notably, the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency reported the lowest turnout in Telangana, standing at 39.17% by 5 p.m., a considerable drop from the state’s average turnout of 62.48%. In contrast, the 2019 elections saw 45% polling in Hyderabad.
Secunderabad, the second-largest constituency, recorded a turnout of 42.48%, indicating a decline of 3% from the 2019 polls.
Malkajgiri, known as India’s largest constituency with 37.80 lakh voters, struggled to surpass the 50% mark, registering 49.60% polling, akin to the figures from 2019.
Similarly, the by-election for the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly constituency, within Malkajgiri, witnessed a turnout of only 50.34%.
Chevella, encompassing crucial urban hubs like Cyberabad’s information technology district, saw a turnout of 53.15%, ranking it as the fourth-lowest in the state.
Notably, segments like Serilingampally, with a significant population of software professionals, and Malakpet within the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, recorded particularly low turnouts at 41.40% and 37.84% respectively.
Despite favorable weather conditions following recent rains and cloud cover, many polling booths remained deserted for the majority of the day.
Concerns over declining urban voter participation have been raised by various stakeholders post-polling. Despite extensive campaigns by celebrities, NGOs, and political entities, these efforts failed to significantly sway urban voters.
Union Minister and state BJP chief G. Kishan Reddy suggested that simultaneous polling in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana might have contributed to the low turnout, with many residents reportedly traveling to the neighboring state for the simultaneous Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections.
The persistently low turnout underscores the need for deeper engagement and outreach strategies to encourage greater urban participation in the democratic process.
