HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court, on Monday, granted permission to the Telangana State El e c t ion Commi s s ion (TSEC) to declare the GHMC election result of Neredmet division. The GHMC has made arrangements for the counting of 544 disputed votes, bearing marks other than that of swastik, at 8 am on December 9.
The GHMC will set up a table at the counting centre, and the candidates contesting in the ward will be invited to monitor the counting process.
After completing the exercise, the results would be declared by the respective Returning Officer (RO). Earlier, the High Court had ruled that the TSEC could treat those votes with marks other than that of swastik as valid, stating, “Since the intention of voters is clear, the votes should be treated as valid.” The result of Neredmet ward was withheld, but that of the rest of the divisions were announced on December 4. TRS candidate K Meena Reddy was leading by 504 votes at the time of the halt.
Justice A Abhishek Reddy passed the order while dismissing the petition filed by BJP leaders K Anthony Reddy and K Surender, challenging the SEC’s circular issued on December 3 over the counting of votes in the GHMC elections.
The judge said that the SEC was well within its power in issuing the subject circular, and suggested that the petitioners approach the Election Tribunal on the matter, if they have any grievance. On December 4, the single judge suspended the said circular issued by the SEC. Aggrieved by the same, the SEC approached the division bench headed by the Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan, which refused to intervene in the order passed by the single judge. The bench suggested that the SEC file its counter affidavit before the single judge for adjudication. Accordingly, the Commission filed its counter affidavit.