Sravan demands counting of VVPAT printed slips

Hyderabad, December 9: Khairathabad Praja Kutami contestant Dr. Sravan Dasoju appealed Returning Officer (R.O) Khariathabad for counting VVPAT printed slips along with automated counting EVMs to cross verify & validate votes polled in all 238 booths in the Constituency.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Sravan said he had submitted an representation to the Returning Officer (R.O) of Khairthabad Constituency appealing for the counting of VVPAT printed slips along with automated counting EVMs to cross verify and validate votes polled in all 238 booths in Khairathabad Constituency.

Dr. Sravan also said that in majority of the polling stations polling was delayed by 2-3 hours, due to malfunctioning of EVMs, even though the polling is suppose to have commenced at 07:00 AM in the morning. He also said that most of the EVM's were replaced as the EVMs that were placed initially were abruptly stopped functioning. He raised serious concerns over the news in media that EVMs are likely to be tampered through Bluetooth technology.

He also alleged that votes were indiscriminately removed from the electoral roles despite their names are present in online internet and even after having EPIC cards. He also added that many of family votes are spread deliberately in different polling stations and assembly segments.

Dr. Sravan also reminded that CEO of Telangana Rajat Kumar has openly admitted that there are mistakes in electoral rolls and his apology to the public.

He informed that in the last four and half years, he has exposed many large-scale corruption scandals in TRS government and about Chief Minister KCR. And said malfunctioning of EVMs for 2-3 hours in targeted booths, deleting and misplacing the votes in electoral roles in almost all the polling stations is not an act of coincidence but a deliberate conspiracy and manipulation to deprive me of my rightful victory.

He also reminded that introduction of VVPATs is to reinforce fair and free elections. Further he requested the R.O to count both VVPATs printed slips as well as EVMs to nullify the potential malfunction or deliberate manipulation of EVMs.

Dr. Sravan requested the Election Commission and Returning Officer to count the VVPATs printed slips in addition to counting EVMs. He also mentioned he is ready to bear the expenses for counting of less than 2 lakh votes polled, if counted manually.

He added that if both the VVPATs and EVMs are not counted then the very purpose of introducing VVPATs is defeated and further it will be a misinterpretation of ECI norms. He has also made an appeal to the R.O to install the network jammers around strong rooms to protect from hacking of EVMs.