Hyderabad appeared desolate due to elections on Thursday

By: Pune Pulse

December 2, 2023

The tech companies in Hyderabad declared Thursday as a holiday, aligning with the government’s advisory to enable the workforce to vote. This break provided a much-needed respite from the busy and noisy atmosphere that has become synonymous with the IT hub, including the crowded streets and constant noise of traffic.

The Wipro campus, which shares its name with the traffic junction located a few meters ahead, displayed a brief notice stating that the office was closed for the day. In contrast, a neighbouring campus that houses offices of various modern companies posted a notice on its main gate, citing the government order and declaring November 30 as a paid holiday for Telangana residents to cast their votes.

Tata Consultancy Service received a communication from its HR-Head stating that ‘due to the Telangana State Assembly elections, all TCS offices in Hyderabad will be closed.’

The president of Hyderabad Software Enterprises Association (HYSEA), Manisha Saboo, stated that all the offices closed today, showing their compliance with the government order in a sincere manner. The majority of the companies either announced a holiday or, if required, urged employees responsible for crucial tasks to work remotely from their homes.

HYSEA, an organization representing IT firms, placed a strong emphasis on promoting voter participation among the workforce. Nevertheless, it should be noted that not all IT employees possess voting rights within the city. The work-from-home alternative, which gained popularity during the COVID pandemic, along with the subsequent hybrid work model, proved to be advantageous on Thursday.

A significant portion of the slightly over 900,000 IT professionals in Telangana are affiliated with the IT establishments in Hyderabad and its nearby vicinity.