Tension Rises as Over 8,000 Votes Are Invalid in Graduate MLC Polls
The Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduate MLC polls saw a significant number of invalid votes, as over 8,000 out of approximately one lakh segregated votes were declared invalid by Monday night.
KARIMNAGAR: The Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Graduate MLC polls saw a significant number of invalid votes, as over 8,000 out of approximately one lakh segregated votes were declared invalid by Monday night. The counting of votes is set to resume once the remaining one lakh votes are segregated, as officials continue to sort through the ballots.
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Invalid Votes Lead to Tension at Counting Centres
Out of a total of 3.5 lakh eligible voters in the constituency, approximately 2.5 lakh graduates cast their votes. However, a large number of graduate voters failed to follow proper voting procedures, which resulted in the rejection of several ballots. Sources indicate that many voters used their own pens rather than the provided markers, leading to invalid votes.
IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu, along with several others, expressed surprise at the high volume of invalid votes in the polls, which had initially been estimated to be around 40,000. However, the final tally revealed that approximately 8,000 votes out of the segregated votes were invalid.
Details of the Vote Segregation Process
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As of Monday night, election officials had segregated around one lakh votes from the total 2.5 lakh ballots cast. Of these segregated votes, around 92,000 were deemed valid. The remaining 1.5 lakh votes are still in the process of being separated and bundled for further counting.
Election officials have expressed their commitment to ensuring a fair and transparent counting process, despite the initial challenges faced during the segregation process.
Protests Erupt Over Invalid Votes
The high number of invalid votes led to protests near the counting centre at Ambedkar Stadium, where candidates for the MLC graduate constituency gathered to voice their concerns. Tension rose for a brief period as the controversy surrounding the invalid votes continued to unfold.
The final outcome of the MLC polls will depend on the completion of the segregation and counting process, with officials working diligently to address the concerns of voters and candidates alike.
