Telangana HC tells poll official to break open strong room

Justice K Lakshman of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the District Election Officer and District Collector, Jagtial, to break open the seal of the strong room with respect to the Dharmapuri Legislative Assembly Constituency at Dr VRK College of Engineering and Technology, Nookapally Village, Jagtial.

Adluri Laxman Kumar of the Congress party, who lost to BRS candidate Koppula Eshwar had filed an election petition before the High Court in 2019 alleging irregularities in the counting and recounting of the VVPAT slips of EVM at certain places of the Dharmapuri Constituency. 

As the District Collector informed the court that they had misplaced keys of 2 out of 3 strong rooms and an enquiry was being conducted about



the same, the High Court directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to enquire into the matter. 

On Wednesday, the ECI informed court that they would be able to submit the enquiry report by April 26. The judge then referring to the proceeding of the ECI dated April 17 directed the officers to break open the strong rooms with the help of a locksmith and carpenter in the presence of all the political parties and handover the documents pertaining to the election to the returning officer, who in turn was asked to submit documents to the court. Justice Lakshman also directed the District Collector to provide vehicle and protection to the returning officer for submitting the documents to court.