Summary:
Coimbatore, Feb 23 (PTI) Citing irregularities during the counting of votes in Ward 32 of Coimbatore City Corporation, which was won by the DMK, the losing candidates on Wednesday submitted a joint petition requesting the district collector to order re-polling immediately.
Alleging that an EVM was changed and missing during counting day on Tuesday, 13 candidates, including from the AIADMK and BJP, walked out from the room and staged a dharna on the premises seeking action.
A day after the results were announced, all the candidates arrived at the collectorate on Wednesday morning and submitted a petition seeking re-election to the ward.
They said a rope tied around the EVM handle was found loose and the seal was removed.
The election officials present there remained silent when the issue was brought to their notice at the counting centre, the petition said.
Without providing the code number to the candidates, the officials had started counting the votes and there were changes in the signatures of booth agents, the petition said.