Hyderabad: The Election Commission has put the final official turnout in the Telangana state Assembly polls at 69.1 per cent, about 3 per cent lower than the last elections.

Official statistics show rural voters have once again outperformed their urban counterparts through their overwhelming participation in the democratic process.

While Madhira constituency in Khammam recorded a recorded 91.27 per cent voter turnout, the figure was only 40 per cent in Malakpet constituency, in the heart of Hyderabad.

Among the 31 districts the backward Adilabad was at the top with 76.5 per cent voters. Highest polling in Hyderabad of 60.12 per cent was in Secunderabad constituency.

Hyderabad city with 16 assembly seats recorded a lowly 50.86 per cent turnout despite the best efforts of the Election Commission and state administration officials to rally the people. Turnout was 52.8 per cent in 2014.

Apart from the lack of interest among the city folks, who preferred to take advantage of an extended weekend and go on a family outing, the absence of the names of thousands of voters and difficulty in locating the concerned polling stations also contributed to the low turnout.

In some cases technical glitches in voting machines and VVPAT units also left voters flustered as they had to wait in the queues.

There were many pictures of contrast in the elections.

On the one hand the authorities had set up 15 model polling stations in different parts of Hyderabad. They rolled out red carpets, decked the stations up with flowers and balloons like a marriage function hall, and provided help desks and guides, but still failed to bring the voters in.

Meanwhile some tribal voters, living in remote hamlets in Khammam, Bhupalapally and Asifabad districts, walked for up to 16 kilometres to reach the nearest polling station to exercise their democratic right.

In Penogulu hamlet in Bhupalapally 50 of the 56 voters trekked through difficult hilly terrain and through forests to Jangapalally village in Bhadrachalam (reserve for scheduled tribes) constituency.

They did so despite the threat by Maoist rebels to disrupt the polls.

In Asifabad (ST) constituency the residents of tribal hamlets of Metiguda and Dubbaguda walked through hills and jungles to cast their votes at Kathiguda polling station. The voters included an octogenarian woman, Manku Bai.

However the trek has been part of their lives, even to get their monthly rations and for other needs, as over the last seven decades officials have not paid attention to their demands for road connectivity and other facilities.

Back in Hyderabad people were simply indifferent and took refuge in the usual laments. “What is the use of casting avote? Is anything going to change for us,” asked Rahmat Ali, a banana seller in Yakutpura, which recorded a low turnout of around 51.09 per cent.

“It is only the politicians who benefit”, said Pendurthi Ramulu in Musheerabad constituency in another part of the city.

Voters from the educated middle class were no different but their excuses varied.

“Our visit to the in-laws was long pending and we decided to take advantage of three days holiday starting from Friday,” Hyderabad resident Pavan Kumar said.

In the colonies in and around the Hitec City, voter turnout was also low. Some residents blamed failure by the IT companies to declare a holiday.

The Forum for IT Professionals (FORIT) has approached the Election Commission to take action against such companies as they deprived their workers of their voting rights by insisting on their attendance.

Infosys and Tech Mahindra were among such companies. While an Infosys spokesman said that a holiday was declared on Friday, FORIT alleged that even after declaring holiday some companies forced the workers to work on the support projects.

But on the other hand there were hundreds of others who travelled long distances to reach their native places and vote. “I drove to my native place 130 kms away to vote”, said Shailesh Reddy, a journalist.