Rajya Sabha polls: EC offers go-ahead for counting of votes in Maharashtra, Haryana

By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission Friday evening directed Rajya Sabha election returning officers of Haryana and Maharashtra to go forward with the counting of votes which was held up following complaints about violation of guidelines.

The ballot panel additionally directed the returning officer of Maharashtra to reject the vote solid by Shiv Sena legislator Suhas Kande.

The high brass of the EC went by means of detailed studies submitted by the returning officers of the 2 states, together with video footage, earlier than giving the go-ahead for counting, officers stated.

The counting was held up in Maharashtra after the BJP alleged that three MLAs of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) — Cabinet ministers Jitendra Awhad (NCP) and Yashomati Thakur (Congress) and Shiv Sena legislator Suhas Kande — violated the mannequin code for voting.

The BJP has alleged that Awhad and Thakur handed over their ballots to their get together brokers as a substitute of solely displaying them the ballots, whereas Kande confirmed his poll to 2 completely different brokers. The counting was placed on maintain in Haryana for similar causes.

The BJP and the Independent candidate backed by it have urged the Election Commission to cancel the votes of two Congress MLAs within the state.

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 confirmed their poll papers to unauthorised individuals after marking them and that the episodes have been “duly captured” on cameras.

The Congress has, in the meantime, approached the Election Commission accusing the BJP of attempting to defeat the method of free and truthful election to the Rajya Sabha in Haryana and demanded instant declaration of outcomes.