Telangana Today Impact: ECI extends poll timings in Telangana to 6 pm

The report had pointed out the extra hour could prompt more people to head to the polling station, especially those who work till 5 pm and those hesitant to venture out and stand in queues under the sweltering sun.

Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India on Wednesday decided to increase the polling hours in the 17 parliamentary constituencies in the State from 7 am to 6 pm instead of the earlier timeframe of 7 am to 5 pm.

Telangana Today, in a report ‘Limited polling hours in State’ in its edition dated April 22, had pointed out in detail on how Telangana’s polling hours, from 7 am to 5 pm, was a curious case, with most other States, including the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, having an extra hour till 6 pm to vote.

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The report had pointed out the extra hour could prompt more people to head to the polling station, especially those who work till 5 pm and those hesitant to venture out and stand in queues under the sweltering sun.

The ECI, in a notification on Wednesday, said it had 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, contesting candidates and the prevailing situation of hot summer and heat wave in the State. Keeping these in view and to increase voters’ participation, the ECI said it had decided to increase the hours of poll.

While the extended timings will be applicable for all 17 parliamentary constituencies, a few Assembly segments in the five constituencies of Adilabad, Peddapalli, Warangal, Mahabubabad and Khammam will be the same as what was fixed in the earlier notification, the ECI said.

In Adilabad, the Assembly segments that will have the extended timings till 6 pm are Khanapur, Adilabad, Boath, Nirmal and Mudhole, while the rest will have restricted timings.

In Peddapalli, the segments with extended timings till 6 pm are Dharmapuri, Ramagundam and Peddapalli, while in Warangal, they are Station Ghanpur, Palakurthi, Parkal, Warangal West, Warangal East and Wardhannapet.

In Mahabubabad, the segments with extended timings are Dornakal, Mahabubabad and Narsampet. In Khammam, they are Khammam, Palair, Madhira, Wyra and Sathupalli.