Telangana Assembly Elections 2018: Voters frustrated as voting polls shifted

Hyderabad : Over 2000 voters in polling station numbers 311,312, 313 and 314 allotted to a private school in Old Alwal were left in stagger as the polling station was shifted to another place without any prior notice.

The polling station situated in Loyola High School in Father Balaiah Nagar of Old Alwal in Malkajgiri Assembly constituency has four booths as per the original allotment. But, to the surprise of the voters, they found the school locked up and no one to guide them.

After much inconvenience, the voters were  approach Loyola Academy Degree and PG College, located at two kms away. On reaching the place, voters were told that only two booths 311 and 312 were located there while two others — 313, 314 and 314 A — were moved to St Pious High School in Alwal Hills, 3 kms from the original polling station.

Venkatachari, a resident of Mangapuram Colony was frustrated as he first came to Loyola School and then to Loyola Academy and finally to St Pious High School only to find the EVM not functioning. 

“We are running from one place to another with no one to guide us,” he mourned as another senior citizen Rajesh of Father Balaiah Nagar, who also came to vote said the printed voter information on the CEO Telangana and Election Commission website still showed the old polling station.

“There are a large number of people waiting outside the old school not knowing where to go,” said Rohit, a techie, who came to Loyola School to vote.Venkatesh, the polling agent of the Telangana Jana Samiti said he, along with others, had waited outside the Loyola High School station to enter only to realize that it has been shifted.

At the polling booth 314, the situation was chaotic as the voters were told that the EVM was not working. “We have alerted the higher authorities to replace the EVM. It has to come from Bhavan’s Degree College, Sainikpuri,” the presiding officer of the booth Ramakanth told the Media.

Polling was normal at booth number 311, 312 and 313 as voters queued up since 7 a.m. There was tight security outside the stations and vehicles were not allowed anywhere near the stations.