Busy day for ECI with complaints galore in Munugode

Election Commission of India received 98 complaints on the distribution of money and cash was seized at two places in the Munugode constituency

Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India received 98 complaints on the distribution of money and cash was seized at two places in the Munugode constituency where the polling was held on Thursday.

Around 38 calls were made to the police with complaints pertaining to the presence of non-voters (outsiders) in the constituency where 72 people were identified and sent out of the constituency during the polling.

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Till last reports came in, the constituency recorded over 77 per cent polling. All three major political parties — TRS (now BRS), Congress and BJP, lodged complaints against each other over poll code violations, distribution of liquor and cash, and also over spreading fake news.

The TRS delegation led by Rajya Sabha member B Lingaiah Yadav complained to the Chief Electoral Officer that BJP candidate Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy and his aides were indulging in the distribution of liquor and cash to lure voters in Munugode constituency especially at Choutuppal, Marriguda, Chandur and surrounding areas.

They alleged that the BJP was trying to instigate violence and had deployed over 15 special teams. Further, both Rajgopal Reddy and BJP State president Bandi Sanjay were staging demonstrations in Munugode constituency and Hyderabad respectively to divert the attention before creating disturbances in the Munugode bypoll.

The BJP State leaders also accused the TRS of distributing cash and liquor to voters. They claimed that many non-local leaders were still staying put in Munugode to oversee the polling. The Congress too lodged a complaint regarding fake news created with a prominent Telugu channel’s logo claiming that the Congress candidate in the Munugode bypoll, Palvai Sravanthi met Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.

The Congress condemned morphed photographs of Sravanthi being used to spread fake news and demanded action against the culprits. They suspected that the BJP was indulging in such mischief. The CEO took up the issue with the higher authorities of ECI and assured to initiate suitable action.

Speaking to the media, CEO Vikas Raj said since the polling began on Thursday, a total of 98 complaints were received pertaining to poll code violations including cash and liquor distribution, presence of non-locals and others.