‘Over 6.69 lakh bogus votes’: Congress’ Feroze Khan claims electoral fraud in Hyderabad seat

Hyderabad: As many as 6,69,785 bogus votes were cast in the Hyderabad Parliamentary Constituency during the 2023 General Elections in Telangana, alleged Telangana Congress leader and former MLA candidate for the Nampally Assembly, Feroze Khan.

The total number of votes cast in the Hyderabad PC was 22,06,654 votes.

'BJP and AIMIM working together'

During a press conference on Tuesday, Feroze Khan accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) of working hand-in-hand in Hyderabad PC.

In a direct attack on Hyderabad MP, Asaduddin Owaisi, Khan alleged, “We caught three men who were indulging in electoral fraud, and the men work for Asaduddin Owaisi. I have told the State Election Department many times about fraud in the electoral process in Hyderabad Parliamentary Constituency and Nampally Assembly Constituency. But there has been no response from the office of the Election Commission.”

Here are the key issues raised by Feroze Khan during the press conference in Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad:

Allegations against Asaduddin Owaisi

Khan claimed that over 30 per cent of the voters in the Hyderabad PC were duplicate or bogus voters, amounting to 6,69,785 irregular votes out of a total of 22,06,654.

He identified six categories of irregularities in the electoral lists, including the listing of deceased voters who were still eligible to cast votes. In the Hyderabad PC, Khan alleged that there are specific booths where electoral fraud is happening. Khan said, “I have got a team to go from booth to booth, collect the evidence and present it to the State Election Commission.”

Duplicate and bogus votes

Khan presented evidence claiming to show duplicate voter IDs and deceased individuals remaining on the electoral rolls, arguing that these irregularities facilitate bogus voting.

He cited a case in the Charminar constituency where a deceased individual aged 102 was still listed as an eligible voter.

Negligence by the Election Commission

Khan expressed disappointment with the Election Commission’s inaction despite multiple complaints about these electoral irregularities.

He questioned why the revenue officials, assigned to scrutinise the voters' list, vanished in 10 days. “I have written to the State Election Commission, but there is no reply. These are serious questions being raised on the integrity of the process followed by the ECI.”

Historical context

Khan emphasised that he has been raising these concerns for two decades, attributing his narrow losses in four elections to these alleged electoral manipulations.

He has previously approached the Telangana High Court, filing a writ petition for a special revision of the electoral rolls in Nampally. However, the High Court rejected his plea as he had not challenged the revised electoral rolls within the stipulated time frame.

Misuse of burqas

Khan says that overnight in Nampally constituency, there is an influx of burqa-clad women, who are brought from different parts of the city to vote. This must be checked by ECI, said Khan.

Call for action

Khan demands a thorough analysis of the electoral rolls and action against those officials in the booths who have allowed bogus voting.