Hyderabad: As many as 4,798 candidates have filed their nominations for the November 30 elections to Telangana Assembly.
Nearly half of them filed their papers in all 119 Assembly constituencies on Friday, which was the last day for filing of nominations
A total of 5,716 sets of nominations were received by the electoral officers since November 3. The majority of the candidates are independents.
According to Chief Electoral Officer Vikas Raj, 2,324 candidates filed their nominations on the last day. A total of 2,768 sets of nominations were filed on that day. Scrutiny of nominations will be taken up on November 13 while the last day for withdrawal of nominations is November 15.
Maximum number of candidates (145) filed their nominations from Gajwel, where chief minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao is seeking re-election for a third consecutive term.
In Gajwel which is in KCR’s home district Siddipet, BJP has fielded its MLA and former minister Eatala Rajender, who is also contesting from Huzurabad, a seat which he won in the by-election as BJP candidate in 2021 after KCR dropped him from the Cabinet.
This time, KCR is also contesting from Kamareddy constituency, where 92 candidates have filed their nominations. The chief minister is facing Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, who has also entered the fray from his home constituency Kodangal.
A total of 116 candidates filed their papers in Medchal, where labour minister Malla Reddy is contesting again as BRS candidate.
Only 13 candidates filed their nominations in Narayanpet constituency in Mahabubnagar district
Only 19 candidates each filed their papers from Wyra (ST) and Makthal constituencies in Khammam and Narayanpet districts respectively.
As many as 37 candidates filed their papers on the last day in Kamareddy, one of the two constituencies from where Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao is contesting.
BRS is contesting all 119 seats on its own while Congress has left one seat for its ally CPI.
The BJP is contesting 111 seats and has left remaining seats for its ally Jana Sena Party. MIM is contesting nine seats and backing BRS in the remaining seats.
Female voters exceed males
Female voters have surpassed male electors in the state. The electoral gender ratio, which was 998 last month and 992 on January 5 this year, has now improved to 1000.2.
As per the electoral roll finalised by the Chief Electoral Officer, the state has 3,26,18,205 voters, comprising 1,62,98,418 males and 1,63,01,705 females.
This is the first time that the number of female voters has exceeded male voters in the state.
A total of 2,676 voters belong to the third gender. To make the elections inclusive, the EC focussed on the third gender by conducting enrolment camps for them in all districts. Meetings were also held with the association of third-gender persons. The number of persons willing to identify as third gender increased from 1,952 on January 5, 2023, to 2,556 on October 4, 2023, and to 2,676 as on November 10, 2023.
The number of voters in the 18-19 age group is 9,99,667, which is 3.06 per cent of total electors. This is also the highest-ever number in this age group.
The gender ratio in this age group has improved from 707 to 753.
The CEO made it clear no further applications can be processed for assembly elections 2023. The distribution of voter Information slips (VIS) will commence shortly. He requested the citizens to check the details of their polling station by logging into electoralsearch.eci.gov.in or through Voter Helpline App (VHA).
Meanwhile, the process of collection of Postal Ballot applications (Form 12Ds) from absentee voters like senior citizens, PwD and essential services voters was completed on November 8. So far 31,551 Form 12Ds have been received.
