Hyderabad: Candidates of the Congress, BLF, NIP and the MBT for the Karwan constituency on Saturday demanded a re-poll for the constituency alleging bogus voting on a mass level that had violated the poll process and High Court directions given in WP 42935 and WP (SR) no. 61962 of 2018.
Congress candidate Osman bin Mohammed Alhajiri said they had submitted a petition to the election observer and would move the High Court on Monday. He alleged that only constables and home guards were posted in most of the polling stations. They violated the election rules and allowed the workers of the MIM and the BJP to capture booths in many places. Even presiding officers were under pressure from these parties, he said.
BLF candidate G. Vittal said when their workers tried to lodge a complaint against bogus voting, they were booked instead. In most polling booths in Jiyaguda division EVMs did not function for hours, but the polling time was extended for only one hour. Chinni Rakesh of New India Party alleged that his agents were not allowed inside a few booths. The MBT candidate alleged that officers on election duty closed the doors of the polling booths for lunch.
Senior counsel Osman Shaheed alleged that election authorities did not honour the HC’s directions regarding free and fair elections in eight constituencies of the Old City and failed to deploy adequate security force at polling stations in Karwan. He added that BJP and AIMIM workers were allowed to enter the prohibited area to influence the voters. He demanded that the election authorities should call for records of the poll duty roster of all concerned police stations.
The candidates have demanded re-election for the constituency under the direct supervision of the Central Forces.
