BRS seeks deployment of Central forces, ECI intervention in Jubilee Hills bypoll

BRS urged the Election Commission to deploy Central forces and take direct control of security in the Jubilee Hills bypoll, alleging large-scale rigging, fake voter IDs and intimidation by the ruling Congress. The party also sought CCTV monitoring and special observers.

Hyderabad: Amid rising political tensions in Telangana ahead of the Jubilee Hills Assembly by-election, the BRS on Thursday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to intervene immediately to ensure free and fair polling. The party requested the Commission to deploy Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and take direct control of security arrangements, alleging misuse of State machinery by the ruling Congress ahead of the voting on November 11.

BRS Parliamentary Party leader KR Suresh Reddy met the Chief Election Commissioner in New Delhi on Thursday and submitted a detailed representation, signed by himself and MPs Divakonda Damodar Rao and B Parthasaradhi Reddy, seeking deployment of CAPF, installation of CCTV cameras and live webcasting in all polling stations. The party alleged that large-scale rigging, fake voter ID creation and intimidation of its cadre were being orchestrated by the Congress under the supervision of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.

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The BRS stated that the Congress, aided by the local police and civic authorities, was unleashing a reign of terror by abducting and threatening BRS workers, particularly from minority communities. It alleged that hundreds of non-resident voters, especially burqa-clad women from minority communities, were being brought from Hyderabad’s Old City to cast proxy votes using fake identity cards.

“The Election Commission must assume direct control of the election process and restore confidence among voters. Local agencies have completely failed to act impartially,” Suresh Reddy said in the representation.

The BRS demanded that sensitive divisions including Yousufguda, Rahmathnagar, Borabanda, Erragadda and Srinagar Colony be declared hyper-sensitive and placed under round-the-clock monitoring of the ECI in Delhi. It also cited credible intelligence reports indicating booth capturing and mass rigging plans by Congress candidate Naveen Yadav and his associates, allegedly aided by the local police. The party demanded that the entire constituency be declared sensitive, with CAPF deployment in all divisions.

The BRS also sought the appointment of special Central observers for general, police and expenditure monitoring, along with preventive surveillance on lodges and community halls being used to house outsiders. It urged verification of voter rolls to eliminate duplicates.

Suresh Reddy stated that Article 324 of the Constitution empowers the ECI to ensure elections remain uninfluenced by the ruling party. He called for the Commission to act promptly and decisively, failing which the Congress could seriously distort the democratic mandate.