Telangana poll percentage goes up further to 71.23, CEO assures to clear air

HYDERABAD: The polling percentage in Telangana Assembly elections held on Thursday was further revised to 71.23 per cent on Friday evening even as the Chief Electoral Officer assured that the suspicion over increase in poll percentage and suspected rigging at few places will be cleared.

After the polling came to an end at 5 p.m. on Thursday, the Election Commission had put the approximate voter turnout at 63.94 per cent. This was revised till late in the night.

On Friday morning, the poll percentage was put at 70.66 per cent. It was revised further to 71.23 per cent in the evening.

Addressing a news conference in the afternoon, CEO Vikas Raj had assured that the air on the increase in poll percentage and alleged rigging will be cleared.

"It will be cleared," he said when asked about suspicion among political parties over the increase in poll percentage on Thursday night and suspected rigging happening in some constituencies.

The CEO said the primary purpose of scrutiny by observers and returning officers is to clear the air as they will be looking at all the feed that comes to them including allegations by the political parties and candidates.

"Let us wait for its result," he said.

He stated that polling in some constituencies went on till 9.30 p.m. as those who had reached polling stations at 5 p.m. were allowed to cast their votes.

He evaded queries about the time the last vote polled and also the number of constituencies and polling stations which reported polling till 9.30 p.m.

The CEO stated that after the polling, EVMs were brought to reception centres and the scrutiny was on by observers and returning officers in the presence of candidates or their representatives. He claimed that by and large the election process went on smoothly.

"There was small friction and a need for replacement EVMs at a few places," he said.

Replying to another query, he said FIRs were booked even against ministers. He said with regard to seizures and violation of Model Code of Conduct, about 13,000 cases were registered.

"This number is phenomenal compared to 2018 when hardly 2,400 cases were booked. Our focus has been extremely high on enforcement and we are seeing reasonably good results," he said.

The CEO said a total of 3,26,02,799 voters were eligible to cast their votes at 35,561 polling stations in all 119 Assembly constituencies. He said for home voting introduced for the first time, approval was given in the case of 17,108 voters of over 80 years of age and out of them 16,005 actually voted. Similarly home voting for 9,961 PwD voters was approved and out of them 9,459 actually voted. The CEO said more than 1.80 lakh employees voted through postal ballots.