Hyderabad , Jan 27 (TNT): Telangana is set for a crucial political contest in its urban centres, with the State Election Commission on Tuesday announcing the schedule for municipal elections to seven municipal corporations and 116 municipalities across the state.
Polling will be held on February 11, with counting of votes scheduled for February 13, setting the tone for an intense electoral battle among political parties.
Announcing the poll schedule at a press conference, State Election Commissioner Rani Kumudini said the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect.
Candidates can file nominations from January 28, with January 30 being the last date for filing papers. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on January 31, while February 3 has been fixed as the last date for withdrawal of candidature and publication of the final list of contesting candidates.
The elections will be conducted on a political party basis using ballot papers and ballot boxes, underlining their significance as a direct test of party strength in urban and semi-urban areas.
As many as 52.43 lakh voters, including 26.80 lakh women voters, are expected to exercise their franchise across 2,996 wards.
The scale of the electoral exercise is substantial, with polling to be conducted through 8,203 polling stations.
The Election Commission has made arrangements for 16,031 ballot boxes, along with 137 strong rooms and 136 counting centres to ensure smooth conduct of the polls.
The election of municipal chairpersons and vice-chairpersons, as well as mayors and deputy mayors of municipal corporations, will be held on February 16.
The municipal elections are being keenly watched as an important barometer of public mood in urban Telangana and are expected to offer early political signals ahead of future state-level electoral contests.
TNT TS
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