HYDERABAD: The Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC) has decided to allow Covid-19 positive voters to cast their vote at polling stations. The TSEC has informed that active Covid-19 positive voters who have not used the postal ballot option would be allowed to cast their vote at polling stations. The time allotted for them will be the last hour of polling — from 5 pm to 6 pm — on December 1. However, TSEC directed the GHMC that all required Covid guidelines and precautions should be taken, including wearing of mask, face shield and hand gloves by the Covid-positive voter.
TSEC secretary M Ashok Kumar has issued instructions to the GHMC to provide basic minimum facilities (BMF) to voters like persons with disabilities, senior citizens, mothers with carrying children, at the polling stations.
These voters can use any one of the facilities. They can either vote at polling stations or cast their vote using postal ballot. For those who intend to cast their votes in polling stations physically, facilities such as ramps, wheelchairs should be provided. Volunteers will also be present at the stations to help out.
Swamy Goud likely to join saffron party
Former Telangana Legislative Council chairman Swamy Goud is likely to join the lotus fold before the GHMC elections. On Saturday, MoS G Kishan Reddy, BJP president Bandi Sanjay and OBC Morcha president Dr K Laxman met Swamy Goud. Sources said the meeting was to get Goud into BJP. Speaking to the media later, Goud said: “It was a friendly meeting and there was no proposal from them to join BJP.” On Friday, BJP leaders had succeeded in persuading senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Sarve Satyanarayana to join the party