Jagtial: Election Commission special officer arrives today to conduct probe

Jagtial: The counting of votes in the Dharmapuri election has taken a critical turn, with the arrival here on Monday of a special officer (IAS) of the Election Commission, following the orders of the Telangana High Court. The officer will undertake a comprehensive inquiry at JNTU in Kondagattu into the missing keys of the strong room and is likely to submit a report to the court. The inquiry will go into the happenings since 2018

This has been informed to returning officer Bikshapathi and all officials concerned by the election officer and district collector, besides the Congress candidate Adluri Lakshman Kumar.

Kumar has alleged that irregularities occurred in the counting of votes while approaching the court. The HC has directed Bikshapathi to submit details of polling in EVMs and counting forms. He has handed over the court orders to the collector's office.

It may be recalled that on April 10 Bikshapathi, in the presence of district collector Yasmeen Basha, had tried to open the strong room. Following this Kumar had alleged that two keys to the strong room were found missing, while the DC admitted that the locks were not opening. Kumar had opposed breaking of the locks. The district administration tried in vain to open the locks till the afternoon. After Its representatives returned to the strong room in Nookapalli college, the DC had informed the media that the administration would take the issue of non-opening of locks to the court's notice.

However, Kumar in the petition to the court, had said that it was incorrect to maintain that the locks were not opening; only the keys were missing. The court had ordered on April 12 that the whole issue should be looked into and a report submitted by April 26.