HC orders recounting in Nizamabad MLC poll

HYDERABAD: Justice R Kantha Rao of the High Court on Friday ordered recounting of votes polled in the MLC election from the 18-Nizamabad Local Authority Constituency held on March 30, 2009. The recounting will take place under the High Court's supervision here on February 9 (Thursday).Pronouncing the order relating to an election petition and a recrimination petition filed in 2009, the judge ordered recounting of total votes polled in the MLC election. It may be recalled that the judge, in his interim order recently, upheld the contention of petitioner (R Venkat Ram Reddy) in respect of three disputed ballot papers. He set aside the returning officer's decision on the above ballot papers and held that they had been validly cast in favour of the petitioner.He ordered that all the three disputed ballot papers shall be counted valid in favour of the petitioner.He posted the recrimination petition filed by the respondent (A Narsa Reddy) for hearing to first week of February. As for case details, the returning officer had declared that Narsa Reddy, who contested the election on behalf of TDP, secured 336 votes and Venkat Ram Reddy, a Congress candidate.