Ahead of the upcoming by-polls of Tarapur and Kusheshwarsthan assembly seats in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) wrote to the state Election Commission requesting that ballet paper votes be counted first during the by-elections.
"According to the section 54A of Conduct of election rule, 1961, the ballot paper votes must be counted by the returning officers appointed by the EC. I request, on behalf of RJD, that the returning officers appointed at the Tarapur and Kusheshwarsthan be given the instruction that the ballot paper votes be counted first," RJD leader Manoj Jha said in his letter to Bihar EC.
The RJD leader, in his letter, also requested that the ballot paper votes and EVM votes should be counted in the same room during the by-polls at the Tarapur and Kusheshwarsthan assembly constituency.
The Election Commission of India, earlier on September 28, announced by-polls for three parliamentary and 30 assembly seats across 15 states and Union territories (UTs) in the country.
Parliamentary by-polls were announced on Dadra and Nagar Haveli seat in Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Khandwa seat in Madhya Pradesh, and Mandi seat in Himachal Pradesh.
The ECI announced by-elections on assembly constituencies including --Badvel (SC) in Andhra Pradesh; Gossaigaon, Bhabanipur, Tamulpur and Mariani, Thowra in Assam; Kusheshwar Asthan (SC) and Tarapur in Bihar; Ellenabad in Haryana; Fatehpur, Arki, and Jubbal- Kotkhai in Himachal Pradesh; Sindgi and Hangal in Karnataka; Prithvipur, Raigaon (SC) and Jobat (ST) in Madhya Pradesh; Deglur (SC) in Maharashtra; Mawryngkneng (ST), Mawphlang (ST), and Rajabala in Meghalaya; Tuirial (ST) in Mizoram; Shamtorr-Chessore (ST) in Nagaland; Vallabhnagar and Dhariawad (ST) in Rajasthan; Huzurabad in Telangana; and Dinhata, Santipur, Khardaha and Gosaba(SC) in West Bengal.
The voting will be done on October 30, while the counting of votes and announcement of results will be on November 2.
( With inputs from ANI )
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