YSRCP writes to EC, seeks free and fair counting of votes

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Saturday shot off a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI), seeking support to ensure free and fair counting of votes in the state.

YSRCP national general secretary V Vijayasai Reddy, in the letter to EC, has alleged the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has "trained some unruly elements and appointed them as their counting agents to disturb the counting process in case their candidates are trailing in the state."

The development comes close on the heels of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launching a campaign against the ECI by terming the poll panel's decision to conduct re-polling at five polling stations under Chandragiri Assembly segment of Chittoor Lok Sabha constituency as "undemocratic."

Reddy has further alleged that the TDP has instructed its counting agents to make all efforts to either delay or postpone the counting process.

"The manual or the instructions book provided by the TDP to its counting agents also states that counting observer has the right to get the counting process stopped or postponed. If the counting observer feels that rigging has taken place or suspects that booth capturing has taken place or feels that the election material has been taken out of the polling station during the prescribed polling time, or the election material has been tampered with or damaged, then the concerned counting observer can stop the counting process or may get it postponed. The decision of the counting observer cannot be overruled by the Returning Officer," reads the letter.

Asking the EC to shift Returning Officer (RO) of Raaptadu assembly constituency, Reddy stated that they have specific complaints about her.

"It is learnt that the RO is Project Director, VELUGU Project, which comes under the jurisdiction of a minister who happens to be the mother of contesting (TDP) candidate. She is weak and cannot withstand the pressure from the ruling party," he said in the letter.

Reddy has urged EC to deploy additional forces, especially from outside the state in few sensitive constituencies such as Chandragiri, Mangalagiri, Uravakonda, Raaptadu, Dendulur, Dharmavaram, Gajuwaka, Tadipatri, etc., to ensure fair counting of votes.

Reddy has also requested the EC to clarify his party's doubts expressed during the counting classes about VVPAT and their tallying with the EVMs for the smooth functioning of the counting process.

Andhra Pradesh went to polls for its 25 Lok Sabha seats and all Assembly constituencies on April 11, the first phase of seven-phased parliamentary polls. The counting of the votes will take place on May 23.