Tight Security for Jubilee Hills Counting?

Vote counting for the Jubilee Hills by-election will begin at 8 am on Friday at the Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy Indoor Stadium in Yousufguda. Officials confirmed that postal ballots will be counted first, followed by votes polled through EVMs. Due to the unusually high number of contestants — 58 candidates — the Election Commission has arranged 42 counting tables with 186 staff members overseeing the process. Live updates will be displayed on an LED screen and made available on the Election Commission app. Only candidates and their authorised agents will be permitted inside the counting hall.

Security has been tightened across the Jubilee Hills area, with Section 144 enforced and victory processions banned. Joint Police Commissioner Tafseer Iqbal stated that robust arrangements are in place to ensure smooth and safe counting. Ahead of counting day, officials inspected the stadium layout, barricades, and EVM storage to ensure everything was in order. With high stakes and a heavy security presence, all eyes are now on the by-election results.