Hyderabad, February 11: Voting is currently underway for the 2026 Telangana Municipal Elections across 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations. Polling began at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 11, with more than 52 lakh eligible voters expected to decide the fate of nearly 13,000 candidates. This election is being viewed as a critical mid-term test for the ruling Congress party and a pivotal moment for the opposition BRS and BJP to assert their urban influence.

Polling Details and Voter Turnout

The Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC) has facilitated voting for a total of 2,996 wards. This includes 2,582 wards in 116 municipalities and 414 wards across seven major municipal corporations. Early reports indicate a steady turnout at various polling stations. To encourage participation, the state government has declared a public holiday in the areas where polling is being conducted. Voters have been provided with the "Te-poll" mobile app to help locate their respective polling booths and download digital voter slips. Telangana Municipal Elections 2026: Stage Set for Polling in 123 Urban Local Bodies.

Multi-Cornered Contest

The 2026 polls feature a high-stakes battle between four major political entities:

  • Indian National Congress (INC): Aiming to consolidate its power following the 2023 Assembly victory.

  • Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS): Looking to protect its traditional urban strongholds.

  • Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): Contesting in alliance with the Jana Sena Party (JSP), hoping to capitalize on recent Lok Sabha gains.

  • AIMIM: Maintaining a strong presence, particularly in wards with significant minority populations.

According to TSEC data, 14 candidates were elected unopposed prior to the polling date, leaving the remaining seats to be decided today by the electorate.

Tight Security and Surveillance

To ensure a peaceful voting process, Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy has overseen the deployment of over 41,000 personnel. Extensive security measures include:

  • Webcasting: Live monitoring is active in over 8,100 polling stations.

  • Surveillance: A grid of 11,000 cameras is monitoring crowd movement and preventing malpractice.

  • Sensitive Zones: More than 1,300 booths have been categorized as "hyper-sensitive," receiving additional paramilitary and state police cover.

Inter-state and inter-district check posts have also been established to prevent the illegal movement of liquor or cash intended to influence voters. Telangana Municipal Elections 2026: Polling on February 11, Results on February 13 for 116 Municipalities and 7 Corporations.

Results and Post-Election Schedule

The voting window is scheduled to close at 5:00 p.m. today. If technical issues or disruptions necessitate a re-poll, the commission has reserved Thursday, February 12, for that purpose. The counting of votes will take place on Friday, February 13, 2026, with results expected to be officially declared by the evening of the same day. Following the results, the newly elected ward members will be sworn in on February 16, followed by indirect elections to choose Mayors and Chairpersons.

TruLY Score by LatestLY
Rating:3

TruLY Score 3 – Believable; Needs Further Research | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 3 on LatestLY, this article appears believable but may need additional verification. It is based on reporting from news websites or verified journalists (Hindustan Times), but lacks supporting official confirmation. Readers are advised to treat the information as credible but continue to follow up for updates or confirmations

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 11, 2026 08:58 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).