TDP alleges election irregularities in Andhra Pradesh, files complaint against returning officers

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has filed a complaint against the non-compliance of Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines in Andhra Pradesh.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has filed a complaint against the non-compliance of Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines in Andhra Pradesh. The complaint, lodged by former Rajya Sabha MP Kanakamedala Ravindra kumar, accused Returning Officers of deliberately violating electoral procedures, allegedly under the influence of the ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP).

The complaint stated, "No voter list has been made available to political parties, no minimum facilities were made available at the Facilitation Centres, and no date had been made available to any party on voting particulars eligibility, issued and voted". Kanakamedala's complaint also highlighted that the Returning Officers across districts, who work on the behest of the YSRCP government, were attempting to invalidate votes by not stamping the facsimile signature of the RO on the reverse side of the postal ballot paper two times, as instructed by the EC.

Similarly, the Gazetted Officers did not put their designation stamp after signing the Declaration form as required by the guidelines, Kanakamedala added. Further, the complaint said that Official lapses of this kind by the RO and other employees are nothing but a deliberate attempt by the YCP to invalidate and disturb the polling process.

The ruling YSRCP is contesting alone in all 25 parliamentary constituencies and the 175 seats of the state assembly. It is up against the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former CM N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party (JSP).

Notably, the TDP, Janasena and BJP are NDA alliance partners in the southern state. As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP was allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies, while the BJP will contest from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats.

Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats. Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled for May 13 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4. (ANI)

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