Repoll in 5 polling stations in AP's Chandragiri seat

Amaravati: The Election Commission of India Wednesday ordered a repoll on May 19 in five polling stations in Chandragiri Assembly segment under Chittoor Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh, State Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi said.

Repoll would accordingly be held in polling stations 321, 104, 316, 318 and 313 of both Assembly and Lok Sabha segments, the CEO said in a release.

YSR Congress MLA and contesting candidate Ch Bhaskar Reddy lodged a complaint with the Election Commission early this month that voters belonging to a particular community were not allowed to exercise their franchise when polling was conducted on April 11. The CEO reportedly received some other complaints over the polling in the constituency from other sources as well.

The CEO asked the Chittoor district collector to inquire into the complaints and submit a report. Based on the Collectors report, the CEO recommended that a repoll be conducted in the five polling stations. The ECI, on Wednesday, declared the poll held on April 11 in these five stations as void under the Representation of People Act and ordered that a repolling be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm on May 19.

The Telugu Desam Party said the ECI should not be acting in a "biased manner."

TDP state president K Kala Venkata Rao met Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sujata Sharma and objected to the recommendation for a repoll based on YSRCs complaint.

"Why did it take more than 24 days for the YSRC to lodge a complaint if there was anything amiss?" Rao told reporters.