People's Vote is GHMC's Right?

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is coming under sharp criticism at a time when the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secundrabad have been registering lower poll percentages from the start of the polling day on Monday vis a vis its counterparts across the state.

Voters accused the GHMC, the nodal agency that prepares the electoral rolls and conducts elections to the State Assembly and Lok Sabha, has deleted their votes in gross violation of the norms.

Agitated over the unilateral deletion of votes by the GHMC, voters expressed their protest at Shekpet.

Addressing media, Union Minister and Telangana BJP chief G Kishan Reddy, after visiting the polling stations falling under Secundrabad Lok Sabha Constituency, from where he is seeking reelection, said it has "come to my notice that about 3,000 votes have been deleted in the Shekpet division. Many of these voters have cast their vote during the last State Assembly elections held five months ago." For the reasons best known, the officials have deleted their votes. Additionally, all the deleted votes belong to 'one category of voters. It is intentionally done by the officials," he rued.

What turned me more curious was that the deleted voters were handed over Voter Information Slips (VIS) a week ago. Making the voters believe that their names are on the voter's list. However, to their shock, the deletion of votes came to light only when the people turned up to polling booths to cast their votes.

Kishan Reddy, a complaint has been lodged with the district returning office, and he assured to inquire into the same. A complaint will be lodged with the Central and State Election authorities, and "we will fight over the issue", he said.

Meanwhile, another incident of the GHMC's illegal deletion of votes has surfaced in the polling booth 52 in St. Mary's School in Vijayanagar Colony under the Nampally Assembly segment. Initial reports indicate that 100 out of 951 votes in the polling station have been deleted.

How many people the GHMC served notices before the deletion of votes remains a mystery, as the voters complaining say they have not received any notices ahead of the deletion of votes. The voters accused the GHMC officials of deleting votes sitting in their offices without field visits for verification or serving notices.