Polling in Telangana's Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency, where 185 candidates including Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha are in fray, will be conducted with EVMs only, the Election Commission announced on Sunday.
The poll panel thus put to rest speculations that the ballot papers may be used for the polling in this constituency, where a large number of farmers are contesting as Independent candidates to highlight their problems.
The Commission issued instructions to the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana to make arrangements for conduct of elections using M3 EVMs, which can accommodate names and symbols of all 185 candidates.
It has also issued orders to Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) for immediate supply of 26,820 ballot units, 2240 control units and 2,600 VVPATs of M3 make to CEO Telangana.
Kavitha is seeking re-election from the seat, while the Congress has once again fielded Madhu Yaskhi Goud. D Aravind, the son of former TRS leader, D Srinivas, is contesting on the BJP ticket.
Over 200 turmeric and red sorghum farmers have filed nominations in Nizamabad as a mark of protest against the failure of the state and Central governments in ensuring remunerative prices for their produce. After some nominations were rejected, the EC said that 175 farmers were still in the fray. The turmeric farmers are also unhappy over the failure of the governments to set up the Turmeric Board.
This protest of filing nominations en masse is not a unique one – the precedent was first set in 1996 in Nalgonda, Telangana, when 480 candidates contested from one constituency to highlight the fluorosis crisis which is still prevalent in the state. The authorities then had to print a booklet for voters to cast their votes.