HYDERABAD: The Election Commission has issued notification for the December 7 election to the Telangana Legislative Assembly. As per the announcement, nominations would be accepted from November 12 to 19, while the date for scrutiny of papers has been fixed on November 20. The last date for withdrawing nominations is November 22. Polls are scheduled to be held on December 7 and counting would be held on December 11.
An earlier communication from the Chief Electoral's Officers's office revealed that the total number of voters in Telangana have gone down by nearly nine lakh to 2.73 Crore for the Assembly polls. There would be over 32,574 polling stations in the state and few more may be set up depending on the number of voters. The 119-member Assembly was dissolved on September 6, following the recommendation of the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government, more than eight months ahead of the expiry of its term. The Election Commission has imposed a near month-long ban on holding exit polls beginning November 12 in the five poll-bound states including Telangana, Caretaker Chief Minister and TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao handed over B-Forms to party's contesting candidates after a brainstorming session with them.
The TRS has already announced its candidates for 107 segments, including 105 at one go within minutes of the Assembly dissolution, giving it a jump-start to the campaign and stunning the opposition. Main opposition Congress forged an electoral pact with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) headed by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) founded by retired Osmania University Political Science Professor Kodandaram and the Communist Party of India.
