Around 45 pc polling reported in Hyderabad civic elections

An estimated 45 per cent polling was reported in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) election today, which passed off peacefully barring minor clashes in the old city area.
Citing preliminary information, GHMC Commissioner and election officer B Janardhan Reddy told reporters that about 45 per cent turnout of voters was reported till 6.30 PM.
The final figures may vary after compilation of the data.
Around 43 per cent polling was reported in the last GHMC elections in 2009.
Mild tension prevailed at Mirchowk in the old city when activists of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) and Congress clashed towards the fag end of the polling process.

According to Srinivas Rao, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Mirchowk), police had to resort to mild lathicharge to disperse the warring groups when both sides gathered at Mirchowk police station.

Trouble started when Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee Chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Congress leader in the Legislative Council Shabbir Ali reached Mirchowk Police station to get released their party candidate Mohammad Gouse, who was taken into custody.
MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi also reached there at the same time and tension mounted. MIM MLA Pasha Quadri was also taken into custody when he and Gouse confronted each other.
A vehicle belonging Reddy was damaged by miscreants.

"This is a conspiracy by both TRS and MIM. Somehow they want to win the elections. They have arrested our contesting candidate. After lot of pressure, the police released him," Reddy told reporters.
"We were attacked by Asaduddin Owaisi and his supporters. They broke my car. They manhandled the Leader of Opposition (Shabbir Ali)," Reddy claimed.
He further said he has filed a police case on this issue.
Meanwhile, police said they dispersed MIM party workers
who allegedly tried to attack Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali's son Azam Ali.
Police took MIM MLA Ahmed Balala into custody in connection with the incident.

Popular Telugu actors Nagarjuna, Ramcharan, Allu Arjun, junior NTR and Balakrishna, who is a TDP MLA in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, were among the celebrities who exercised their franchise in the polls.
TDP President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's wife N Bhuvaneswari, Naidu's son Lokesh, who is TDP General Secretary, also voted in the GHMC elections.
About 72 lakh voters were eligible to cast their vote in the GHMC area which covers about 24 assembly segments in Telangana.
The counting of votes would be taken up on February 5.