Munugode by-poll: HC opines no abnormality in voters list

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court Division Bench consisting of Chief Justice Ujjal Bhutan and Justice C.V Bhaskar Reddy on Friday said it did not find any "abnormality" in the voters list furnished to the High Court by the Chief Election Officer, Telangana.

Avinash Desai, standing counsel for the Election Commission of India, on Friday furnished before the High Court a signed statement of the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana regarding the voters list of Munugode Assembly constituency by-election scheduled to be held on 3 November.

The High Court Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice C.V Bhaskar Reddy heard the writ petition on Friday filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Telangana, represented by its secretary Gujjula Premender Reddy. BJP alleged that the Election Commission and state government authorities had shown indifference in not verifying the false claims, veracity, and authenticity of all the Form-6 applications filed for registration as voters in the Munugode Assembly constituency.

The petitioner further alleged that the names of fresh applicants in the electoral list for the said by-election in Munugode is illegal and in violation of provisions of the Representation of the Peoples Act 1951. The petitioner requested the court to direct the Election Commission and state authorities to freeze the voters lists only up to 31 July 2022 and no further applications be processed or included for the upcoming elections to be held on 3 November 2022. Mr. Desai also informed the court that as per section 23 sub-section 3 of the Representation of Peoples Act 1951, the electoral list for Munugode will be freezed on 14 October 2022.

Mr. Desai further informed that as per the statement of CEO, TS, there are a total of 25,013 applications in Form 6, out of which 7,247 were rejected and 12,249 were accepted. As on 11 October, a total of 5,517 applications in Form 6 are pending.

Moreover, a total of 2,142 applications were received under Form 8, out of which 1,813 were rejected and 239 accepted and 182 applications under Form 8 are pending, Mr. Desai informed the court.

Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan Bench after going through the statement furnished by the CEO, Telangana said, "The total votes in Munugode as on 11 October 2018 were 2,14,847, and as on 11 October 2022, the voters in Munugode have increased to 2,38,759." The Chief Justice Bench opined that there is no abnormality in the increase of voters in the Munugode Assembly constituency.

The Bench directed the Election Commission of India to furnish the latest voters list as on 14 October 2022 in the next hearing and adjourned the matter till 21 October.