8,000 votes declared invalid in Graduate MLC polls

KARIMNAGAR: The counting for the Graduate MLC elections, covering areas including Karimnagar, Medak, Nizamabad, and Adilabad, was marred by a large number of invalid votes, drawing sharp criticism from political leaders and independent candidates alike.

Out of 3,55,159 eligible voters, only 2,50,328 graduates cast their ballots. However, sources revealed that over 8,000 of these votes were declared invalid due to improper voting practices. The errors, ranging from ballots marked with an incorrect symbol to ballots turned upside down with numbers written on them, have raised serious questions about voter awareness and the effectiveness of the election process.

Tensions ran high at the counting centre in the Indoor Stadium in Karimnagar, where candidates and their supporters expressed dissatisfaction with the electoral procedures. Independent candidates staged protests, alleging that election officials had failed to properly educate voters on the correct voting process. Congress candidate Narendra Reddy and All India Forward Bloc candidate Ravinder Singh both appealed to election officials, requesting that votes marked with "1" and "2" on the ballots be considered valid.

The controversy over the invalid ballots has also affected the Teacher MLC election count. Out of 25,032 votes cast in that contest, 821 ballots have been invalidated. Officials expect the final count for the Teacher MLC seat to be completed by midnight.

The incident has ignited a wider debate about the responsibilities of election officials and the need for robust voter education campaigns, particularly given that the electorate in this contest consists of highly educated individuals.