RS polls: Counting of votes begins in Haryana after EC gives the go-ahead

The counting of votes in the Rajya Sabha elections from Haryana began late Friday night after the Election Commission gave the go-ahead, officials said.

The counting was held up after the BJP and an Independent candidate backed by it alleged violation of rules and demanded the votes of two Congress MLAs be declared invalid.

Election Commission sources in Delhi said the votes have not been invalidated. Officials said the counting began past midnight Friday after the poll panel gave the permission to the returning officer to begin the process.

BJP nominee Krishan Lal Panwar and Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma shot off a missive to the EC, alleging Congress MLAs Kiran Choudhary and B B Batra showed their ballot papers to unauthorised persons after marking them and that the episodes were recorded by cameras.

The Congress has, meanwhile, approached the Election Commission accusing the BJP of trying to defeat the process of free and fair election to the Rajya Sabha in Haryana and demanded immediate declaration of results.

In Haryana, 89 MLAs out of a total of 90 cast their votes while Independent MLA Balraj Kundu abstained from voting.