Election Sidelights

* For first-time voters—those who recently turned 18 as well as women who shifted to the city after marriage—polling day felt like a festive occasion.

* The low voter turnout during the morning hours caused concern among political leaders, prompting them to appeal to citizens to step out and exercise their franchise.

* Elderly citizens and persons with disabilities earned widespread appreciation for making the effort to reach polling booths and participate in the democratic process.

* Wheelchairs played a crucial role in assisting senior citizens and differently abled voters, making their movement and voting easier.

* Several women were seen arriving at polling stations with infants in their arms, while many fathers were observed caring for their children as their wives cast their votes.

* In general, the voting process took about one minute per voter, except in the case of a few senior citizens.

* Politically, signs of a break in single-party panels of four candidates were evident in several *prabhags*. Voters appeared to prioritise candidates’ personalities and leadership qualities over party affiliation.

* Political leaders including Naser Siddiqui, Shaikh Yusuf and Afsar Khan were spotted outside a polling booth in the old city.

Claims

* An independent candidate from Prabhag 14 (D) alleged that someone had cast his wife’s vote.

* The AIMIM state president claimed that he had already alerted the police administration about the possibility of riot-like situations being created by miscreants allegedly brought into the city from outside.

* Long queues were a rare sight across the city throughout the day.