A three-member team of officers from the Election Commission of India on Monday conducted a detailed inquiry into the alleged mismatch of keys of the strong room where the poll materials/EVMs/documents related to the 2018 Assembly election to the Dharmapuri constituency were kept soon after the polling held on December 7, 2018.
The inquiry was conducted as per the Telangana High Court’s direction in response to a petition filed by Congress candidate A Laxman Kumar, who was defeated with a slender margin by the TRS (BRS) candidate Koppula Eshwar, now the Social Welfare Minister, seeking a detailed inquiry into the whole episode.
Mr. Kumar in his election petition filed under the Representation of Peoples Act after the declaration of the Dharmapuri Assembly election result sought recounting of votes alleging some discrepancies in counting of VVPAT slips in the EVMs at certain places.
The High Court in its order on March 31, 2023, accorded permission to the District Election Officer to open the strong room and handover the documents to the petitioner by following the procedures. However, the authorities concerned could not open two of the three strong rooms due to mismatch of keys, sources said.
The District Election Officer subsequently informed the court that a detailed inquiry will be conducted and disciplinary action will be initiated against the officers who are responsible for the ‘serious lapses.’
The petitioner had filed objections stating that the keys of the strong room are missing.
The High Court in its order dated April 12, 2023, directed the ECI to conduct a detailed inquiry into the entire aspects right from sealing of the strong room in 2018 and submit a detailed report to the court by April 26, 2023.
In compliance with the High Court order, a three-member team from the ECI held the inquiry at the JNTUH University College of Engineering at Nachupally in Jagtial district on Monday.
The then District Election Officer/Collector and the then Returning Officer of Dharmapuri Assembly constituency appeared before the ECI team.