Hyderabad: A group of women in Yadadri- Bhuvangiri district on Saturday, December 6, pledged to reject liquor and money in exchange for votes in the Telangana local body elections.
In a meeting in Jalalpur village, Bomalramaram mandal, the Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri collector, Hanumanth Rao, urged the woman to reject cash and liquor and vote on the basis of the candidate’s ability to bring development to their village.
One woman explained, “Yesterday, the collector held a meeting and urged us not to accept liquor and cash for voting. We will vote only for the development of the village,” she said in a video.
Another woman named Vara Lakshmi said, “We have been asked by the collector to vote based on our will and not for cash or liquor.”
Some women also displayed the pledge written in Telugu with chalk on slates.
Telangana local body elections
On November 25, the Telangana state election commission announced that the Telangana local body elections will be held in three phases.
Speaking with the media, state election commission chief Rani Kumudini informed that Telangana has over 1.66 crore voters.
She said that the first phase of polling will be held on December 11, the second phase on December 14, and the third phase on December 17.
“Nominations for the first phase will be accepted from November 27, for the second phase on November 30 and December 3 for the third,” she said.
“Polling will be conducted from 7 am to 1 pm, followed by counting from 2 pm onwards,” the officer said, adding, “The Model Code of Conduct has come into force with the issuance of the notification.”
The last date for filing nominations for the first phase was November 29, the second phase was December 2, and the third phase was December 5.
The scrutiny of nomination papers was held on November 30, December 3 and December 6.
The SEC has provided 17.08 percent reservation in gram panchayats for Backward Classes (BCs). Out of the total 12,735 gram panchayats, 2,176 have been reserved for BCs.
Among 31 districts where elections will be held, Siddipet has the highest BC reservation at 26.772. In Bhadradri Kothagudem district, no Gram Panchayat has been reserved for BCs.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Mohammed Baleegh | 
