Action against ex-Returning Officer of Munugode by ECI, case against TRS leader

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has recommended strict action against K.M.V. Jagannadha Rao, the former returning officer of the 93-Munugodu Assembly constituency, for changing the allotted symbol to an independent candidate and tainting the election process by invoking Rule 10 (5) of Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 , which doesn't confer any powers on the Returning officer to change the allotted symbol.

A police case was registered against TRS leaders after an enquiry on the complaint that they took 300 people in buses to Yadadri temple for dharshan and an oath-taking programme. The police have perused photographic and videographic evidence and have filed a case under section 188, 171 (1) r/w 171 (F) IPC, apart from including the expenditure involved in the name of TRS contesting candidate.

Voting paper for EVMs was mistakenly produced with "Boat with Man and Sail" instead of "Ship," which was discovered and corrected with the proper symbols. The Chief Electoral Officer took this lapse seriously and suspended Choutuppal, the Mandal Revenue Officer, as well as other officers in charge of printing ballots.