HYDERABAD: The counting of votes for two Graduates constituencies Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahabubnagar (HRM) and Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda (WKN) is underway.
For HRM constituency, counting is going on at Indoor Stadium, Saroornagar in L B Nagar and that for WKN constituency is underway at the market department warehouse in Nalgonda under tight security arrangements.
A total of 3,86,320 votes were polled as against the total number of 5,05,565 votes for WKN seat while 3,57,354 votes were polled for HRM seat.
For HRM constituency, as many as 93 candidates are contesting the polls, among them are Surabhi Vani Devi, daughter of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao from TRS, N Ramchander Rao (BJP), G Chinna Reddy (Congress), L Ramana (TDP) and Prof K Nageshwar (independent) and others. From WKN constituency, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy (TRS), G. Premendar Reddy (BJP), N. Ramulu Naik (Congress), M. Kodandaram (TJS), Cheruku Sudhakar are the main candidates contesting the polls.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made arrangements for counting of over seven lakh votes in these constituencies. Presently, postal ballot papers are being sorted by the counting staff and valid and invalid votes are being separated in trays. After the completion of postal ballots, jumbo ballot boxes will be opened later in the day.
The announcement of the results is likely to take a couple of days due to jumbo ballot boxes and counting process.
Any candidate securing 50 percent of the total valid votes plus one first preference vote will get elected in the first round itself. If it doesn’t happen, then counting will begin for second preference votes and then, the third preference votes to declare them elected. Also, the elections are held through ballot paper and counting could be cumbersome as it involves an ‘elimination’ process if none of the contestants get more than 50 percent of the valid votes.