HYDERABAD: While the low voter turnout was the talking point of Tuesday’s GHMC polls, those who stepped out to cast their votes were shocked to see the pre-stamped ballot papers being distributed near the polling centres. This was noticed at a few polling stations in Golconda area with the culprits carrying out the work of handing out the ballot papers to ‘bogus voters’ right under the noses of police personnel on duty.
In fact, the cops turned a blind eye to the illegal activity happening in the streets close to polling booth number 41 and 42 near Atthara Sidi area of the Golconda Fort. Several men standing near Qutub Shahi Masjid were seen holding pre-stamped ballot papers in their hands and calling out the bogus voters to hand over them. “Laa re usku be leke aare, aur votes dalana hai (Bring him also, we need to cast more votes),” said one of them while handing out the pre-stamped ballot papers.
In a span of just 30 minutes, many bogus voters cast their votes and some of them thrice, after erasing the ink from their fingers. While the polling stations located on the main roadof Golkonda were devoid of such illegal activities, they were rampant in the inner areas where there was no stopping the agents from having their way. “This is utterly cheap. They know who the majority is going to vote for, considering the population, which is no more than the minority,” said Mohammed Mubeen, a resident of Atthara Sidi.
“The practice of distributing pre-stamped ballot papers is going on since 9 am. It’s all organised. Everyone inside the booth too knows about it. Yet nobody would utter a word. If it weren’t for the BJP or TRS, only one candidate must have contested.”Only three candidates, including TRS, BJP and AIMIM contested from most of the places in the Golconda area. “Other party candidates were shooed away, way before elections,” he added.
Kids turn voters
At several polling stations across Toli Chowki, Golconda, Shaikpet, Tappachabutra, Asif Nagar and Karwan, many minors, including children, were seen turning up with voter slips to cast votes