Cases have been filed against individuals who put up banners in Hyderabad asking voters to vote against the AIMIM party in the upcoming Legislative Council election on Wednesday. These banners were directed at GHMC corporators and ex-officio members like MPs, MLAs, and MLCs from Hyderabad district, urging them not to support the AIMIM candidate in the Council election for the Hyderabad Local Authorities’ Constituency. 

The issue has been reported to the Election Commission of India (ECI), said Anuraag Jayanti, the Returning Officer and GHMC Additional Commissioner (Revenue & IT). Speaking at a press conference held at the GHMC head office on April 22, 2025, Jayanti shared that they had received complaints about inappropriate banners displayed in different parts of the city. These banners claimed to represent Hindus and urged people not to vote for the AIMIM candidate. He added that all such banners have now been removed.

Jayanti made it clear that putting up banners without getting permission from the concerned authorities goes against ECI rules and the Model Code of Conduct. He also stressed that political parties or candidates must get approval for any election-related banners, and any offensive content is strictly not allowed. N Goutham Rao from the BJP and Mirza Riyaz Ul Hassan Effendi from the AIMIM are contesting in the election. A total of 112 voters — including 81 GHMC corporators and 31 ex-officio members (such as MPs, MLAs, and MLCs) — are eligible to vote in the upcoming MLC election. Polling will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the votes will be counted on the same day, as announced by Anuraag Jayanti. 

To ensure the polling process goes smoothly, around 200 to 250 police personnel have been deployed. A Distribution and Reception Centre has been set up at the Face-to-Face Hall in the GHMC head office. To ensure secure and peaceful voting, three types of teams have been deployed: the Flying Squad Team (FST), which includes two officials, two police personnel, and one videographer; the Static Surveillance Team (SST), also consisting of two officials, two police personnel, and one videographer; and the Video Surveillance Team (VST), made up of one officer and one policeman. The polling process will involve three teams, each made up of four members. Vote counting will take place at Panwar Hall on the First Floor of the GHMC Head Office, and the results will be announced on April 23, 2025. 

Each counting team will consist of one micro-observer, one counting supervisor, and two counting assistants. Jayanti explained that since only two candidates are contesting, voters need to mark their preferences as 1 and 2, but even if they mark just one preference, the vote will still be counted as valid. The GHMC has declared a holiday for employees not involved in election duties on Wednesday, but these employees will have to work on June 14 (a second Saturday) as compensation.