HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) C Sudharshan Reddy on Tuesday said that the upcoming byelection to the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency would be held under the new electoral reforms introduced by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The reforms, being implemented for the first time during the Bihar Assembly elections and eight other byelections across the country, aim to enhance voter convenience, transparency and efficiency.
Key measures include the use of AI-based surveillance and GPS-enabled monitoring for sensitive polling stations, green election initiatives such as reduced paper use and ecofriendly materials, and capping the number of voters per polling station at 1,200 to reduce overcrowding.
Other measures include affixing colour photographs of candidates on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and ballot units, deploying more women polling personnel, and improving accessibility for senior citizens and persons with disabilities through ramps, wheelchairs and pick-up/drop-off facilities. Real-time voter turnout will be tracked through digital dashboards and mobile apps, while Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations will be monitored using technology-enabled teams.
Following the announcement of the byelection schedule, the CEO convened a meeting with representatives of major political parties including the BJP, Congress, BRS, AAP and AIMIM.
Additional CEO Lokesh Kumar, GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan, Deputy CEOs Hari Singh and Satya Vani, and other senior officials attended.