MLC polls: Palla leads after first round of counting

The bundling of ballot papers in Nalgonda was completed by the counting staff at 5.20 pm.

Nalgonda: TRS candidate for Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda graduates MLC constituency Palla Rajeshwar Reddy was leading at the end of the first round of counting that is in progress at the State Warehouse Corporation on Wednesday. The actual counting of votes began at 5.30 am after officials took up the cumbersome process of making bundles of 56,000 ballot papers at 8 am.

In the case of Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahabubnagar MLC constituency, counting officials at the LB Nagar Indoor Stadium were still bundling ballot papers and counting was likely to commence around 10.30 pm, official sources said.

The bundling of ballot papers in Nalgonda was completed by the counting staff at 5.20 pm. The counting of votes was taken up at 56 tables with 56,000 ballot papers to be taken up in each round. After opening the ballot boxes in the presence of representatives of candidates, the counting staff made bundles of 25 ballot votes for the convenience of counting. In all, a total of 3,86,320 votes were polled during the election. Of the total 1,917 postal ballots, 1,838 were found valid and 79 votes were found invalid.

Speaking to the media, Returning Officer and Nalgonda District Collector Prashant Jeevan Patil said there might be delay in the counting of votes as 71 candidates contested in the election and the size of ballot papers was almost the size of a newspaper page.  After arriving at the total valid votes, a clear picture would emerge on the number of votes required to win with first priority votes. The counting of first priority votes may be completed by 6 am on Thursday. In all, 4,000 employees have been deputed for counting of votes, he added.

Tension at counting centre

Meanwhile, tension prevailed at the counting centre of when representatives of opposition staged a protest claiming that 31 votes went missing from a ballot box from a polling station. They alleged that as per records, 603 votes were polled at polling station no 175 of Garla of Badadri-Kothagudem district, but when the ballot box was opened, only 144 ballot papers were found. They urged the Election Commission to inquire into the matter.
Police swung into action and dispersed the protesters.