Jubilee Hills Bypoll Battleground Ready: Polling From 7 AM, Drones & 5,000 Cops Deployed

The battleground is set for the Jubilee Hills bypoll on November 11, with over four lakh voters expected to cast their votes. Polling will begin at 7 a.m. across 407 booths in 139 polling centres.

To maintain law and order, Section 144 has been imposed in the constituency. Businesses operating within 100 metres of polling stations are prohibited from conducting regular activities. A total of 5,000 police personnel, including local officers and Central Armed Forces, have been deployed to ensure peaceful polling. Additionally, drone surveillance has been introduced for enhanced monitoring.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) reached the Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy Stadium and were dispatched to polling stations by 7 a.m. on Tuesday. Backup EVMs have also been arranged to handle any technical issues or complaints of tampering. Voters joining the queue by 6 p.m. will be allowed to cast their vote. The by-election results will be declared on November 14.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the District Election Officer, Hyderabad, announced that polling personnel had moved out from the Dispersal & Reception Centre (DRC) at Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy Stadium, Yousufguda, to polling stations across the Jubilee Hills Assembly Constituency. The post stated, “At the DRC, teams meticulously verified all election materials — from ballot units to voter lists — ensuring accuracy, accountability, and preparedness for Poll Day.” Officials confirmed that all arrangements are in place for a free and fair election.

Dry Day in Hyderabad

According to a circular issued by Prohibition and Excise Commissioner C. Hari Kiran, liquor sales will be banned from 6 p.m. on November 9 to 6 p.m. on November 11, and again on November 14 from 6 a.m. until counting concludes. All liquor shops, bars, clubs, toddy outlets, and Telangana Beverages Corporation depots within the Jubilee Hills limits will remain closed.

Three-Way Battle

The bypoll was necessitated by the untimely demise of BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath. The BRS has fielded Gopinath's wife, Maganti Sunitha, while the Congress has nominated Naveen Yadav, and the BJP has chosen Lanakala Deepak Reddy. The three-way contest is expected to be intense, with all parties striving hard for victory.