The Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency in Hyderabad is currently witnessing a closely contested by-election, with preliminary counting indicating a tight race between the Congress party and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). As of the end of the first round of counting, Congress secured 8,926 votes, marginally ahead of BRS, which garnered 8,864 votes. This bypoll is particularly significant due to its implications for basic amenities such as drinking water, housing, and infrastructure that the electors in this diverse area, comprising affluent neighborhoods and slums, require. On November 11, the constituency witnessed a voter turnout of approximately 48.49%, presenting a robust challenge for all participating parties. The Jubilee Hills region is notable for its high-profile voters, including prominent figures from the Telugu film industry.
The District Election Officer, Madhusudan Dash, announced that the counting of postal ballots was in progress, with the counting of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) scheduled to commence at 8:30 AM, organized into 14 separate counting tables. A total of 26 rounds of counting are planned to ensure accurate results. Amid tight security measures, the counting process for this crucial assembly by-election is being executed at the Kotla Vijay Bhaskar Reddy Indoor Stadium in Yousufguda, Hyderabad.
Additionally, a significant voter turnout was noted in the nearby Nuapada by-election, which reported an impressive turnout of 83.45%, ranking it highest among the eight by-elections held across India on the same date. With a total of 1.94 lakh voters participating from 4.01 lakh eligible voters, the electoral engagement in Nuapada underscores the importance of by-elections not just in this region but across the country.
The political atmosphere leading to this by-election has been marked by intense competition among key figures, including Congress Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, BRS working president K T Rama Rao, and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy of the BJP. As the counting progresses, the outcome will significantly impact the political landscape of both the ruling Congress government and the BRS, making this by-election a prestigious battle among the principal parties involved. The final election results are anticipated to be announced three days post-voting, adding to the suspense surrounding this critical electoral exercise.