Counting of votes in Telangana MLC by-polls deferred to June 2

Hyderabad, April 1: The Election Commission of India has postponed counting of votes in the by-election to Telangana Legislative Council from Mahabubnagar Local Authorities' Constituency to June 2.

The votes polled in the by-election held on March 28 were originally scheduled to be taken up for counting on April 2.

The Election Commission on Monday announced the postponement of the counting in view of the Model Code of Conduct which is in force for the general elections.

The Model Code of Conduct came into force from March 16 while the by-election was announced on February 26 and the notification was issued on March 4. The poll panel stated that the administrative machinery involved in the conduct of by-election is also involved in Lok Sabha polls.

Engaging it for the conduct of the counting of votes in by-election may compromise the smooth processing of conduct of Lok Sabha election in the state, it said.

Polling for 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana is scheduled on May 13 while counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.

A total of 1,439 voters including municipal councillors, MPTCs, ZPTCs and ex-officio members were eligible to cast their votes in the by-election and barring two all had cast their votes on March 28.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had cast his vote an ex-officio member in his capacity as MLA from Kodangal constituency.

The by-election witnessed a direct fight between Manney Jeevan Reddy of ruling Congress and N. Naveen Kumar Reddy of main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

An Independent candidate Sudershan Goud is also in the fray.

The by-election was necessitated after Kasireddy Narayan Reddy of the BRS resigned and successfully contested as Congress candidate from Kalwakurthy Assembly constituency in the recent elections.