Telangana Lok Sabha Elections: Polling hours extended due to heatwave, voters get extra hour to cast ballots

In response to the prevailing heatwave conditions in Telangana, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to extend the polling hours for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections scheduled for May 13. The new timing for polling in various assembly segments of the state will be from 7 am to 6 pm, which is an extension from the previous schedule of 7 am to 5 pm. This decision aims to enhance voters' participation in the electoral process.

In its notification, the Election Commission of India said, "Whereas having considered the request of the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana to increase Hours of Poll in certain Assembly Segments of all 17 Parliamentary Constituencies in view of representations received from various political parties and contesting candidate, the prevailing situation of hot summer and heat wave in the State and to increase voters' participation, the Election Commission of India has decided to increase the hours of the poll in respect of Assembly Segments mentioned in the schedule below of all 17 Parliamentary Constituencies of Telangana."

The Election Commission's decision comes after considering a request from the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana, to increase the hours of polling in certain assembly segments of all 17 Parliamentary Constituencies. This decision was also influenced by representations received from various political parties and contesting candidates, as well as the prevailing situation of hot summer and heatwave in the state.


As per the Election Commission's notification, the extended polling hours will apply to all 17 Parliamentary Constituencies of Telangana, specifically in the Adilabad, Peddapalle, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Zahirabad, Medak, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Chevella, Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool (SC), Nalgonda, Bhongir, Warangal (SC), Mahabubabad, and Khammam assembly segments.

The decision to extend polling hours is significant as it coincides with the ongoing heatwave conditions in the state. According to the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) bulletin, heatwave conditions are expected to persist in most districts of Telangana until May 6. In light of these conditions, political parties have adjusted their campaign schedules, conducting outreach programs, door-to-door campaigns, and public rallies during the cooler hours of the day.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), now known as the Bharatiya Rashtriya Samithi (BRS), emerged victorious in 9 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 4 seats, the Congress won 3 seats, and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) won 1 seat.

The ongoing Lok Sabha elections are being conducted in seven phases, with the voting for the first and second phases already concluded. The next round of voting is scheduled for May 7, and the counting of votes will take place on June 4. The extension of polling hours in Telangana reflects the Election Commission's commitment to ensuring maximum participation in the democratic process, especially in challenging weather conditions.

(With inputs from PTI)