R. Saravanan, 37, a contestant in Marungulam village panchayat president (reserved) election on Saturday submitted a petition with Thanjavur Block Development Officer demanding recounting of votes.
Mr. Saravanan, who lost the election, was reportedly declared the winner initially but officials reversed the decision later.
Saravanan came to the BDO office along with district-level office bearers of Viduthalai Chiruthalai Katchi and submitted a memorandum to the BDO, S. Prabhakaran, seeking recounting of votes in the panchayat and claimed that the votes polled in his favour were declared invalid overlooking the directions of the State Election Commission.
The SEC had issued clearly that if any additional markings or ink impressions found on the ballot papers due to ink applied on the finger of the voter, such votes should not be categorised as invalid.
But the officials declared 116 votes as invalid out of which 42 ballots were stamped on the election symbol allotted to Saravanan.
“After counting was over, the officials said that I have won the contest by securing 853 votes, six more than my nearest rival. An hour later when I approached the officials to receive the election certificate I was informed that I have been defeated by the person who came second and the election certificate had been issued to him,” Mr. Saravanan said in the petition.
