GHMC: Repolling underway in Old Malakpet division

 Telangana | Written by : IANS Updated: Thu, Dec 03, 2020, 01:53 PM

Hyderabad, Dec 3 (IANS) Repolling got underway on Thursday in Old Malakpet division of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) amid tight security.

According to Telangana State Election Commission, polling in all 69 polling stations began at 7 a.m. and will continue till 6 p.m.

The election panel on Tuesday suspended polling in Old Malakpet (Ward 26) after discrepancy in ballot paper came to light.

The polling in the ward was stopped a couple of hours after the process began in all 150 divisions of GHMC on Tuesday.

The Commission took the decision after it was brought to its notice that the symbol of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) 'Hammer, sickle and star' is printed as the symbol of Communist Party of India (CPI). The symbol of CPI 'Ears of Corn & Sickle' was missing.

Interestingly, CPI-M is not contesting the election from this ward.

The division has 54,502 voters. Of them 3,450 had cast their votes on Tuesday by the time the polling was stopped after noticing the goof-up in ballot paper.

The poll panel ordered that during the repoll, the indelible ink should be applied to the left hand middle finger of the voter.

A total of 276 polling officials are on duty for the re-poll.

The SEC had removed Sandhya Rani as the returning officer for the division following the goof-up and appointed Sailaja in her place.

Government and private schools, educational institutions, shops and business establishments in Old Malakpet remained closed on Thursday in view of the repoll.

Over 46 per cent voters had cast their votes in 149 divisions on Tuesday.

The counting of votes polled in all 150 wards is scheduled to be taken up on December 4.