COVID Threat To GHMC Polls: Check Rules For Candidates Filing Nominations, Voters

For Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, the biggest challenge and threat will be preventing the spread of COVID-19 infection. Many guidelines will be enforced, wearing a mask would be mandatory. At the entry of polling station, the sanitizer will be made available and thermal screening will also be done.

As per covid guidelines issued by the Telangana state government and the Ministry of Home Affairs, social distance has to be maintained by the voters and polling officers. The main focus will be on large halls holding elections to complying with the distancing norms. Even for filing nominations, specific guidelines have been issued. Apart from the candidate, only two persons will be allowed for filing nomination.

If we check the poll percentage in GHMC, it is not high. In the 2009 elections, there was only 42.04 poll percentage. In 2016, it was 45.09 percent. The State Election Commission (SEC) is trying to improve the poll percentage by various methods. The SEC is involving resident welfare associations, celebrities and others to boost the poll percentage.