Around 20 persons staged a sit-in protest inside the counting centre in Udhagamandalam, alleging malfeasance by election officials.
The protesters alleged that the officials opened the ballot box of the Mel Kundah village panchayat without the presence of candidates from the Opposition party. Only the AIADMK candidates were present. They demanded that the CCTV footage of opening of the ballot box be shown to them.
The counting process is under way in the local body elections in the Nilgiris, with the votes being counted to determine the winners for the posts of six district panchayat ward members, 59 panchayat union ward members, 35 village panchayat presidents and 393 panchayat ward members across 458 wards.
Officials declared that a DMK member won the post of district panchayat ward member, while 20 candidates from the party had been declared winners for the posts of panchayat union ward members.
Six members of the AIADMK were declared winners for the same post, while two Congress candidates were also victorious. Results of 19 of the 35 village panchayat president posts were also declared.
Officials said that 89 village panchayat ward members were elected unopposed in the Nilgiris.
In Coonoor, a herd of gaur caused a commotion as they ventured close to the counting centre there, but were driven away by forest staff and police.