Despite extensive awareness campaigns and months-long efforts to encourage voter participation, residents of Hyderabad displayed disappointing turnout at polling centers during Monday’s elections.
Political party workers and election officials outnumbered voters at most of the 3,986 polling centers, where makeshift stalls were set up to assist voters. However, much of their time was spent waiting for the next voter to arrive.
Hyderabad witnessed less than 50% voter turnout, with the Hyderabad Parliament Constituency recording the lowest at 39.17%, followed by Secunderabad at 42.48% and Malkajgiri at 46.27%. The by-polls for the Secunderabad Cantonment assembly elections saw a turnout of 47.88%.
Despite being vocal on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) about civic issues, including garbage disposal and power cuts, Hyderabadis failed to translate their concerns into action at the polling booths.
This trend of voter apathy in Hyderabad is not new, persisting across several elections. Previous polls, including the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2023 assembly elections, also reported low voter turnout ranging between 44.84% to 46.93%.
Despite extensive efforts by district election authorities, NGOs, and the media to raise awareness, including large-scale programs like the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), the turnout remains disappointing.
