Hyderabad : In a landmark move, the first vote for the upcoming November 30 Assembly elections in Telangana was cast in Hyderabad today. 91-year-old Annapurna Chunduri exercised her franchise in the Khairatabad Assembly constituency, availing the newly introduced home voting facility. The senior citizen cast her vote in the presence of polling staff and political party representatives, ensuring the utmost secrecy of her ballot.
The Election Commission of India, for the first time, introduced the home voting facility for senior citizens aged 80 and above, as well as persons with disabilities (PwD) with 40 percent or more disability in the state’s assembly elections. This initiative aims to make the voting process more accessible and inclusive.
The home voting process is scheduled to run from November 21 to November 27, covering all 119 assembly segments across Telangana. Eligible voters will participate in Nagakurnool and Kollapur segments on November 21 and 22, while home polling will be conducted in the Achampet constituency on November 23 and 25.
This pioneering initiative, previously introduced during Karnataka elections earlier this year, requires eligible voters to apply to the returning officer (RO) through Form 12-D. The voting process will be videographed, and the footage will be submitted to election officials, ensuring transparency and accountability in the home voting process.
