Votes cast by five MLAs from the State in the Presidential election on July 19 have been declared invalid by the Election authorities.
Interestingly, the five elected representatives committed the mistake in spite of the fact that there were only two contesting candidates and all they were expected to do was to vote by marking their preference numerically against either of them. The number of invalid votes was found during the counting of votes taken up in New Delhi on Sunday.
Sample ballot papers
Against 293 eligible MLAs whose names figured in the electors list, 190 exercised their franchise and five of them turned out to be invalid votes. The surprising fact is that the Congress MLAs were given sample ballot papers during the special CLP meeting held a day ahead of the polling. The Telugu Desam, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the CPI had abstained from the election.
Going by the stand taken by the parties, President-elect Pranab Mukherjee was expected to secure 185 votes of the Congress, the MIM, the YSR Congress, the Lok Satta and the CPI (M). Mr. Mukherjee, however, polled three votes less. BJP-backed P.A. Sangma was expected to secure only two votes as BJP’s Mahbubnagar MLA Y. Srinivas did not cast his vote. However, he polled three votes, one more than expected.
According to sources in the Legislature Secretariat, the five MLAs might have erred in marking their preference. “Improper marking could be one of the reasons for rejection of votes,” an official said. There was possibility of some MLAs putting a tick mark instead of numerical against the candidate of their choice.
The scope of members putting the same number against the two candidates was also not ruled out. Legislature officials, however, asserted that there was no scope for rejection of the additional ballot papers issued to two MLAs.
