In preparation for the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled for November 30 in Telangana, election officials have stated that a total of 59,779 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be deployed across the state. With a whopping 2,290 candidates vying for seats in the 119-member Assembly, the electoral process involves a considerable logistical effort.
Telangana boasts 35,655 polling stations distributed throughout the state. The Lal Bahadur Nagar constituency in Greater Hyderabad, with an unprecedented 48 candidates in the fray, necessitates the highest number of Balloting Units (BUs), totaling 1,719. This constituency comprises 573 polling stations.
Serilingampally, holding the distinction of having the highest number of polling stations at 638, requires 1,276 BUs. The allocation of BUs to each polling station is determined based on the number of candidates plus the option for ‘None of The Above’ (NOTA). Each BU can accommodate a maximum of 16 candidates, with nine constituencies requiring three BUs at each polling station.
For instance, Kamareddy, a constituency featuring Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and state Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy among 39 candidates, requires three BUs at each polling station. In 55 constituencies, two BUs will be installed at every polling station, while an equal number of constituencies will see a single BU at each polling station.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has also released a comprehensive list of counting centers for all 119 constituencies, with a total of 116 designated counting centers. The crucial process of counting votes is slated to commence on December 3, determining the outcome of the closely watched electoral contest in Telangana.