Temperatures soared above 41 degrees Celsius in Moula Ali, Bansilalpet, Shaikpet, Banjara Hills, Ramanthapur, Mettuguda, Gachibowli and Lingampally.
Published Date – 7 April 2024, 12:25 AM
Hyderabad: As the summer heat tightens its grip, districts across Telangana are experiencing blistering temperatures, turning the region into ovens.
According to reports from the Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS), several areas witnessed scorching highs on Saturday, with Penpahad in Suryapet, Nampalle in Nalgonda and Garimellapadu in Bhadradri Kothagudem recording a sweltering 44.5 degrees Celsius.
Within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, Moosapet sizzled at 41.9 degrees Celsius. Numerous localities within the city have been hit particularly hard.
Temperatures soared above 41 degrees Celsius in Moula Ali, Bansilalpet, Shaikpet, Banjara Hills, Ramanthapur, Mettuguda, Gachibowli and Lingampally.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) authorities have advised the public to stay hydrated, avoid outdoor activities during peak sun hours and take necessary precautions to beat the heat.
In the 2019 elections, five people from the registered 5,090 NRI electors voted in Andhra Pradesh while none of the registered 1,436 electors voted in Telangana
Published Date – 6 April 2024, 11:50 PM
Rewind
-By Divya Balan
India, the world’s largest electoral democracy, is gearing up for its 18th Lok Sabha elections, sched- uled in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, 2024. As per the Election Commission (EC) records, 96.88 crore voters are exercising their right to suffrage in this election, of which 1.8 crore are first-timers. The massive prepa- ration for 10.5 lakh polling booths, 2,100 election observers, 1.5 crore polling offi- cers and 55 lakh electronic voting ma- chines is well under way. Political parties are busy pitching their election promises, releasing manifestos and campaigning for candidates. Five years after the last general elec- tion in 2019, sociopolitical and economic conditions have significantly changed at the national and regional levels. Rows over electoral bonds, citizenship amend- ment rules, farmer protests, unemploy- ment, corruption, Assembly election campaigns in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim, and by-elec- tion campaigns for 26 Assembly seats of Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Ma- harashtra, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal among others are stirring up the election debates.
Sidelined Diaspora
Overseas Indians, physically away from the homeland, are largely sidelined from the election process on legal and technical grounds. Those who have taken up for- eign citizenship are debarred from voting as the Constitution does not allow dual citizenship. Besides, they cannot contest elections or hold public posts and services in India. Despite this predicament, Indian diaspora communities deeply identify and connect with their native country. They religiously follow national and State poli- tics, maintain strong political affiliations, fund political parties and their campaigns, and host Indian politicians when they visit foreign countries.
About 1.34 crore NRIs live worldwide, and more than half of them should be eligible voters as per the Indian laws. However, only 1,18,439 NRIs have registered in the current electoral roll.
At the same time, non-resident Indian cit- izens (NRIs) can vote in the elections as per Section 20A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. This section was in- serted in the Act by an amendment in 2010 that allowed Indian citizens living abroad to register and vote in Parliament and Assembly elections. Since NRIs are a notable demographic, the central government is urging them to cast their votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, while the candidates are reaching out to the NRI voters in person or via social media. Congress candidate from the Vadakara constituency of Ker- ala, Shafi Parambil, visited the United Arab Emirates recently to mobilise ‘the Gulf votes’. Likewise, international chap- ters of political parties and diaspora or- ganisations, such as Overseas Friends of BJP and Indian Overseas Congress, lever- age digital platforms to reach out to the voters in India through their foreign-re- siding relatives and friends. The tech- savvy overseas party volunteers create online content that resonates with the In- dian community abroad, and they ac- tively campaign via telephone and inter- net calls, WhatsApp group messages and propaganda posts on social media.
Of the 99,844 registered NRI electors in 2019, only 25,606 voted in the last Lok Sabha election with 25,534 from just Kerala. NRI voter registration has been consistently the highest — above 90% — in Kerala since 2012.
Some even plan their annual vacation visit to India around election months to par- take in on-ground canvassing and voting, as seen during the 2023 Telangana Leg- islative Assembly polls. Many ardent Tel- ugu NRIs from the Gulf countries, Singa- pore and the United States flew down to campaign in their native places for their preferred parties and candidates and cast their votes in the respective constituen- cies. As they enjoy considerable status in society, their involvement in online or di- rect campaigns influences the voting pref- erence of their families, friends and wider community to some extent. Furthermore, elections and govern- ment formations in India are matters of particular interest for NRIs since India’s diplomatic engagements with countries where they reside categorically deter- mine the dynamics of their relations with the host societies. The recent India- Canada diplomatic standoff affirms this. Yet, NRIs are at a disadvantage when it comes to their effective participation in democratic governance.
Current Voting System
The NRI voters must first register and in- clude their name in the electoral roll of their respective constituencies by filling out Form 6A, downloaded from the Vot- ers’ Service Portal of the EC. The duly completed form, along with a recent pass- port-size colour photograph, attested pho- tocopies of the pages of the Indian pass- port containing the photo, name and residential address of the applicant, the valid visa endorsement and a declaration of not being enrolled as a general elector in India, needs to be submitted in person or sent by post to the Electoral Registra- tion Officer (ERO) of the constituency. The booth-level officers will verify these details by visiting the residence ad- dress. If no one can provide a declaration for document verification at the home ad- dress, the documents will be sent to the In- dian Mission concerned for verification. The ERO will communicate the appli- cation status by post and SMS on the reg- istered address and phone number upon the completion of the registration process. After the registration, the en- rolled NRI voter can check the ‘Overseas Electors’ section of the rolls of each polling station on the EC website and fill out Form 8 to correct any wrong entries in the electoral roll. They can then vote on the polling day by being physically present at the designated polling station in their constituency and producing their original passport as proof of identifica- tion instead of the Electors Photo Iden- tity Card (EPIC). There is no remote or online voting facility available for them. About 1.34 crore NRIs live worldwide, and more than half of them should be el- igible voters as per the Indian laws. This overseas voter base can be a pivotal force in influencing electoral outcomes and policy decisions, considering their nu- merical strength, soft power potential and financial clout — they remitted $125 billion in 2023. However, only 1,18,439 NRIs (less than 1%) have registered in the current electoral roll despite the EC’s ef- forts to boost voter registration and its campaign of ‘no voter to be left behind.’
Keeping Away
The low NRI enrolment and voter turnout is due to the exhaustive bureau- cratic registration requirements under current rules, travel cost and other logis- tical inconveniences of flying down to their constituencies to vote in person. Also, the declaration of the election schedule just over a month before the poll makes it difficult for the NRIs to apply for leave from work and plan the trip home. This was evident from the fact that of the 99,844 registered NRI electors in 2019, only 25,606 voted in the last Lok Sabha election. Notably, 25,534 NRIs who then voted were from a single Indian State — Kerala. The rest of the voters were from Punjab (33), Karnataka (16), Uttar Pradesh (6), Maharashtra (5), Ra- jasthan (5), Goa (1) and Chandigarh (1). Five people from the registered 5,090 NRI electors voted in Andhra Pradesh. In comparison, none of the registered 1,436 electors voted in Telangana in the 2019 elections. Also, the NRI voter registra- tion has been consistently the highest (above 90%) in Kerala since 2012. Voting without having to present in person at the polling stations has been a long pending demand from NRIs world- wide. A Public Interest Writ Petition (Civil) No. 80/2013 was filed in this re- gard in the Supreme Court in 2013. As di- rected by the court, a 12-member com- mittee was constituted by the EC, headed by the then Deputy Chief Election Com- missioner, “to consider ways and means to facilitate voting for NRIs and migrant workers.” As per the recommendation of the committee, the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill was intro- duced in the Lok Sabha in December 2017 to allow proxy voting for NRIs. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha in August 2018 but lapsed in Rajya Sabha.
In the 2019 elections, five people from the registered 5,090 NRI electors voted in Andhra Pradesh while none of the registered 1,436 electors voted in Telangana
Political parties across the spectrum raised practical issues associated with im- plementing proxy voting as it undermines the spirit of the secret ballot and the ‘one- person, one-vote’ principle. Proxy voting could cause vote trading by parties by pro- viding proxies to NRIs to vote on their be- half — most likely the same proxy for mul- tiple voters — or manipulating the proxies chosen by the NRI voters. Also, there is no guarantee that the proxy voter will vote as per the preference of the NRI, even if it’s their friend or family. In a similar vein, in November 2020, the EC notified the Law Ministry about its administrative and technical readiness to extend the Elec- tronically Transmitted Postal Ballot Sys- tem (ETPBS) to NRI voters, in line with the ETPBS for the government officials, diplomats and military personnel, but did not receive clearance from the Ministry.
Blueprint for Future
Elections are the cornerstone of democ- racy, and free, fair and inclusive elections are a requisite for strengthening the sov- ereignty and citizen-centric governance of the nation. After all, the right to vote is a constitutional right under Part XV, Ar- ticle 325 and Article 326, and all Indian citizens above 18 are eligible to vote, in- cluding the NRIs. A possible disqualifica- tion on the grounds of non-residence, as mentioned in Article 326, is waived by the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2010. However, the current rules require the physical presence of the NRIs at the re- spective polling booths where their names are enrolled, which is a major dis- incentive for them to register or vote in the elections. The low NRI voter turnout, in turn, will prompt the political parties to disregard their economic and social contributions to the country and exclude them and their issues, such as dual citi- zenship, wage theft and reintegration on return, from the party agendas and main- stream policy discourses. Implementing effective processes to enfranchise the NRIs is critical to empower them and make their demands heard.
Remote Voting
Remote voting will ensure free and inclu- sive political participation and endow NRIs with their constitutional right to vote. But it is not as straightforward as it may sound. Technology-based e-postal ballots or online voting are optimal for leveraging the advancements in digital infrastructure and stamping out any trust deficit or vote trading associated with proxy voting. However, they pose cybersecurity and pri- vacy risks as well as limitations in verify- ing the identity of the voters and prevent- ing bogus and multiple voting. If the software system is not robust, it could crash, compromising the functionality and reliability of the whole process.
Voting At Indian Consulates
Likewise, voting at Indian consulates has its advantages, but the humongous task of conducting elections will overburden the already understaffed and under-resourced missions. The question of jurisdiction and obtaining necessary sanctions from the host governments for conducting elections could also complicate diplomatic relations. Besides, overseas voting could lead to heightened ideological rifts and political ac- tions among Indian communities abroad, prompting hostile debates on immigrant in- tegration and identity politics. Besides, the national and regional parties with lesser fi- nancial and support bases will be at a disad- vantage in campaigning abroad and consol- idating their NRI base. This shortfall of a fair playing field for all political players will un- dermine the spirit of democracy. This baffling complexity of the matter, however, should not be an excuse to deny the NRIs the opportunity to participate in the key democratic process of choosing their representatives in future elections. Establishing a credible NRI voting mech- anism should be one of the priorities of the next government. For that, each and every logistical issue and practical con- cern must be addressed, and rules re- garding remote voting must be diligently and cautiously formulated based on ac- curate and disaggregated data on global NRIs. The finer details of its implemen- tation must also be charted out, and the procedures need to be streamlined.
Current rules require the physical presence of NRIs at polling booths, which is a major disincentive for them to register or vote in the elections.
Political will and commitment of all stakeholders — central and State govern- ments, national EC and State ECs, rele- vant ministries and departments, and po- litical parties — are imperative to ensure the inclusion of NRIs into the democratic fabric of the country without compro- mising the integrity of its electoral process. Along with this, the Indian gov- ernment must consider means and meas- ures to extend the provision of remote voting to inter-State migrants in India on similar lines.
These meetings saw the participation of SHGs, Swachh Auto Tippers (SAT) drivers and Slum Level Federation members.
Published Date – 6 April 2024, 10:57 PM
Hyderabad: As part of the weekly Basti Action Plan being implemented to realise 100 per cent door-to-door garbage collection, the GHMC has conducted 1,499 meetings in communities so far.
These meetings saw the participation of SHGs, Swachh Auto Tippers (SAT) drivers and Slum Level Federation members.
Identifying the major garbage collection gaps in slum areas, 1.87 lakh households have been tagged to SATs.
To make people aware of the consequences of littering garbage, 863 rallies and 1,006 awareness sessions have been conducted so far, with the other 1,499 concentrating only on the elimination of the garbage vulnerable points.
Since the vending centres are also a source of garbage production, 212 Town Vending Committee meetings have also been organised.
Kavitha’s advocate Nitesh Rana told the court that the CBI thwarted the due process by filing a plea seeking permission to question her “behind her back”.
Published Date – 6 April 2024, 11:03 PM
File Photo
Hyderabad: BRS leader K Kavitha, arrested in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, on Saturday moved a city court urging it to recall its order allowing the CBI to interrogate her in Tihar jail. The CBI is probing the corruption angle in the excise policy case.
Kavitha’s advocate Nitesh Rana told the court that the CBI thwarted the due process by filing a plea seeking permission to question her “behind her back”.
“I have grave apprehension that CBI may not have divulged true facts in order to obtain a favourable order from the court,” he said and urged the court to keep its Friday order allowing Kavitha’s questioning in abeyance until she has been heard
This is part of HSBC India’s wider energy transition programme, increasing clean energy consumption across these schools.
Published Date – 6 April 2024, 11:19 PM
This is part of HSBC India’s wider energy transition programme, increasing clean energy consumption across these schools.
Hyderabad: United Way of Hyderabad (UWH), a non-profit volunteer-led organisation, in partnership with HSBC Global Service Centres India, announced the inauguration of rooftop solar systems at 30 government schools in Hyderabad.
This is part of HSBC India’s wider energy transition programme, increasing clean energy consumption across these schools.
The inauguration was held at Government Girls High School 2nd Lancers, Golconda, and Mamatha Madireddy, managing director and head of Global Service Centres India participated.
The programme covers a total of 65 government schools and six government health centres across Telang
peaking on the occasion, Namasthe Telangana GM (Advt), N Surendra Rao said similar auto shows were being organised in all the district centres across the State.
Published Date – 6 April 2024, 11:11 PM
Nalgonda: Chairman of the Telangana Legislative Council, Gutha Sukhender Reddy on Saturday appreciated Namasthe Telangana and Telangana Today for not only creating awareness among citizens with their news but also organising an auto show with two and four-wheeler companies to cater to the needs of people.
Participating as the chief guest at the Namasthe Telangana and Telangana Today Auto Show at NG College Ground, Nalgonda, he said it was good to organise a mega auto show of this kind in Nalgonda and having the participation of Benz, Volvo, and Audi was cherry on the top.
“After the formation of Telangana State, the economic status of people has improved and so their buying power for luxury cars,” he said. Speaking on the occasion, Namasthe Telangana GM (Advt), N Surendra Rao said similar auto shows were being organised in all the district centres across the State.
He urged the people of Nalgonda to avail the benefits of the auto show which has various two and fourwheeler companies on a single platform apart from discount offers and the facility of loan.
The progamme was attended by Manager, Charan, Namasthe Telangana branch manager, T Mahender, Bureau Incharge, Marri Mahender Reddy, Edition Incharge, M Narender, Advt Manager, K Shiva Kumar, Circulation Manager, Malsur Goud, AGM Raji Reddy and others.
GITAM Vice Chancellor Dayanada Siddavattam said the partnership with the school was a strategic investment in their academic and professional futures.
Published Date – 6 April 2024, 11:00 PM
Hyderabad: GITAM (Deemed to be University) has entered into a partnership with The Future Kids School to facilitate a smoother transition for The Future Kids School graduates to higher education.
The partnership benefits deserving graduates of the school by making them eligible for scholarships to pursue undergraduate programmes at GITAM across various disciplines and equips them for success.
GITAM Vice Chancellor Dayanada Siddavattam said the partnership with the school was a strategic investment in their academic and professional futures.
“By nurturing young minds with critical thinking skills from a young age, we are nurturing exceptional students prepared to tackle global challenges and lead innovation at GITAM,” Siddavattam added.
A car hit the motorbike from behind; as they fell down from the bike a speeding truck ran over the woman and the children killing them on the spot.
Published Date – 6 April 2024, 10:43 PM
Kothagudem: A woman and her two daughters were mowed down by a speeding truck near Mandapalli village of Dammapet mandal in the district on Saturday night.
According to police, Chipuru Balakrishna along with his wife Lakshmi (3), daughter Sharanya (8 and Shanvika (6) was going to Aswaraopet on a two wheeler. A car hit the motorbike from behind; as they fell down from the bike a speeding truck ran over the woman and the children killing them on the spot.
Balakrishna who suffered grievous injuries was being treated at Dammapet government hospital. The local police booked a case and are investigating. The family belongs to Chimalapadu village of A Kondur mandal in NTR district in AP.
From April 13 to 16 rituals related to Sri Rama Navami would be performed.
Published Date – 6 April 2024, 07:04 PM
Khammam: Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Devasthanam Brahmotsavams would begin on April 9 coinciding with Telugu New Year, Ugadi, informed the temple sthanacharyulu KE Sthalasai.
The Brahmotsavams ankurarpanam would take place on Ugadi day, on which reading of Krodhi nama Telugu New Year almanac would be read. From April 13 to 16 rituals related to Sri Rama Navami would be performed.
On April 17, the celestial wedding of Lord Rama and his consort goddess Seetha Devi would be performed marking Sri Rama Navami celebration. On April 18 Maha Pattabhishekam of Lord Rama would take place. The Brahmotsavams would conclude on April 23.
The temple executive officer L Rama Devi informed that arrangements were being made to prepare 250 quintals of talambralu. 60 counters would be set up on Sri Rama Navami day to distribute kalyana talambralu to devotees.
For the convenience of devotees visiting the temple in RTC buses, one kilogram talambralu would be made available in each bus. Talambralu would be dispatched to devotees through the postal department and TSRTC cargo services.
Since the election code of conduct was in force, tickets for VVIP and VIP sectors would be sold at Rs 10, 000 and Rs 5000 each. Steps were being taken to make as many as 2.50 lakh laddu prasadam available for the devotees, Rama Devi said.
A large number of people visited the mosques and attended the congregational prayers.
Published Date – 6 April 2024, 10:11 PM
A large number of people visited the mosques and attended the congregational prayers.
Hyderabad: Muslims across the city on Saturday night observed ‘Shab-e-Qadr’, also known as Lailatul-Qadr, the night of power. The event is observed on the 27th of the Ramzan month.
A large number of people visited the mosques and attended the congregational prayers. At historic Mecca Masjid more 8,000 attended the prayers. People also gathered in thousands at the Azizia Masjid in Mehdipatnam, the Indo-Arab Masjid, Vazir Ali Mosque in Fateh Darwaza and the Masjid-e-Barkatvilla in Banjara Hills for prayers. The night is considered auspicious as ‘Quran’, was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.
Religious meeting were conducted at Khilwat playground and other important venues in the city by various religious groups. The pious were seen reading Quran and doing supplications at the mosque in the night and praying for wellbeing of their relatives, friends and acquaintances.
