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ELECTIONS '96

Counting stopped in Nandyal

Counting of votes in the prestigious Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh was stopped tonight on a complaint from the presiding officer about some alleged irregularities relating to some 12,000 votes.

As the counting reached the final round, the presiding officer found that about 12,000 ballot papers cast in the Nandikotkur segment did not have the signature of the presiding officer.

Even the ballot boxes did not have the signature of the presiding officer when it was sealed. The issue had been referred to Returning Officer and Kurnool Joint Collector Harpeet Singh.

Singh immediately sent a fax message to the chief election commissioner on the issue and sought his direction which was awaited, sources said.

When counting was stopped the Congress candidate Gangula Pratap Reddy was leading by 4,487 votes over his nearest Telugu Desam Party rival Bhuma Nagi Reddy (MP in the dissolved House).

UNI

Elections '98

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