Hyderabad: Responding to concerns regarding the prevailing heat wave conditions in Telangana, the Election Commission (EC) has announced an extension of polling hours for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state.
The decision to increase polling hours was made public by the EC on Wednesday, May 1, through an official release. This move aims to facilitate greater voter turnout in light of the challenging weather conditions.
According to the EC’s statement, the decision was taken after considering a request from the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana, who highlighted the need for extended polling hours in certain segments of all 17 parliamentary constituencies. The request was prompted by representations received from various political parties and contesting candidates.
As per the revised schedule, polling will now commence at 7:00 am and conclude at 6:00 pm across all parliamentary seats in Telangana. This adjustment provides voters with additional time to cast their ballots comfortably amidst the soaring temperatures.
The parliamentary elections in all 17 constituencies of Telangana are scheduled to take place on May 13. The country has already witnessed two phases of voting in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, both of which saw a turnout exceeding 66 percent.
