Only 42.92% denizens turned up to cast votes

HYDERABAD: Of 56,99,015 (57 lakh approximately) voters, only 24,08,001 citizens exercised their franchise in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal
Corporation (GHMC) elections held on Monday. In other words, only 42.92 per cent voters turned up to cast their votes.

Incidentally, even during the 2002 polls to the then Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH), 43 per cent of the voters had exercised their franchise.

The GHMC authorities and State Election Commission (SEC) had initially estimated that the polled votes per cent would be around 48 per cent. However, final figures came as a rude shock to both political parties and contestants.

Aliabad division in the Old City recorded the highest voting percentage, 62.13 per cent votes, while Moghalpura logged 60.11 per cent. These were the only two divisions which registered over 60 per cent turnout. On the other hand, Vijayanagar Colony and Red Hills recorded 27.15 per cent and 27.84 per cent respectively, lowest in the city.

Interestingly, Kapra division, where most employees, reside had registered only 31.11 per cent polling. Upmarket areas like Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills recorded only 39 and 37 per cent respectively.