THE TELANGANA GAZETTE
PART - VII EXTRAORDINARY
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
No. 12] HYDERABAD, THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020.
NOTIFICATIONS RELATING TO THE ADMINISTRATION
OF PANCHAYAT RAJ
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TELANGANA STATE ELECTION COMMISSION
TENDER VOTE WAS CAST IN POLLING STATION No. 87 OF WARD No. 32 OF BODHAN MUNICIPALITY IN NIZAMABAD DISTRICT - ELECTION VOID IN THE SAID POLLING STATION - CONDUCT OF FRESH ELECTION.
No. 173/TSEC-ULBs/2020:– Whereas, in reference No. 3038/TSEC-ULBs/2019, dated 7.01.2020 the State Election Commission issued Notification for conduct of Ordinary Elections to Municipalities and Municipal Corporations indicated in the Annexure - I appended thereto.
And whereas, as per the election schedule notified in the Notification No. 3038/TSEC-ULBs/2019, dated 7.01.2020, the date of poll of Municipalities and Municipal Corporations notified is from 7.00 A.M to 5.00 P.M on 22.01.2020.
And Whereas, in letter (through E-Mail), dated 22.01.2020, the Collector and District Election Authority, Nizamabad District reported that, a tender vote was cast in Polling Station No. 87 of Ward No, 32 of Bodhan Municipality. A women voter claiming to be Smt. Naseha Sulthana wearing burkha with voter slip no. 639 arrived to the polling station no. 87 at around 10.45 AM. She submitted voter slip no. 639 and her voter id to the 1st polling officer. After announcing the name by the 1st polling officer, the women was allowed to be identified by the polling agent and BLOs instead of the required authentication by the 1st Polling Officer. Then indelible ink was applied and ballot paper was issued to her. No polling agents raised any objection on her identity and the women voter was allowed to cast her vote. Later at around 1.45 PM another women claiming to be Smt. Naseha Sulthana with voter slip no. 639 came into polling station no. 87 to cast vote. On verification of her identity by comparing her 2 TELANGANA GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY [Part-VII Whereas, the report of the Collector and District Election Authority, Nizamabad District reveals the following grave irregularities in the conduct of poll process in the polling station of 87 of Ward No. 32 of Bodhan Municipality: 1. There was impersonation in the polling station no. 87 of Ward No. 32 facilitated by laxity in the identification of the voter with photo electoral rolls and voter ID cards/identification documents contrary to the
clear instructions of the SEC issued in Order No. 2872/TSEC-ULBs/2019, dated 16.01.2019.
2. The polling agents did not object to the impersonation indicates either collusion among them or appointment of ineligible persons as polling agents.
And whereas, the State Election Commission, after careful examination of the matter and taking all material circumstances into account, concluded that grave irregularities took place in the poll process of polling station No. 87 of Ward No. 32 of Bodhan Municipality and it comes under the scope of Sections 228(l)(c) and hence, declare the poll at the polling station number 87 of Ward No. 32 of Bodhan Municipality as void under section 228(2)(a) of Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019. Consequently a fresh poll is to be taken at the polling station No. 87 of Ward No. 32 of Bodhan Municipality.
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred under article 243 ZA of the Constitution of India and Sections 228(l)(c) and 228(2)(a) of Telangana Municipalities Act, 2019, the State Election Commission, hereby, declares the poll conducted in the polling station No. 87 of Ward No. 32 of Bodhan Municipality in Nizamabad District on 22.01.2020 as void and directs that a fresh poll shall be conducted for the polling station No. 87 of Ward No. 32 of Bodhan Municipality on 24.01.2020 from 7.00 A.M to 5.00 P.M duly following the procedure prescribed under Telangana Municipalities (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2019.
In this election, indelible mark shall be applied on the middle finger of voter's left hand.
( BY ORDER AND IN THE NAME OF THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSIONER )
Hyderabad, 23-01-2020.
M. ASHOK KUMAR, Secretary.
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