A recount has been ordered in the Malur Assembly constituency following allegations by the BJP that their candidate lost due to irregularities and interference during the initial counting process.
KOLAR
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, announced that the vote recount for the Malur Assembly constituency will be held tomorrow at the Kolar Deputy Commissioner’s office premises, as per a court order.
Narayanaswamy, accompanied by a BJP delegation, met the district officials today and submitted a memorandum demanding a fair recount. Speaking to the media, he stated that the result in Malur was decided by a very narrow margin, and alleged that interference from certain individuals had cost their candidate victory. He added that their agents were forcibly removed during the final phase of counting, raising suspicions that led them to approach the court, which later issued an order for a recount.
He also questioned why CCTV footage from the counting center in Malur was missing, while recordings from other constituencies in the state were available. “There are complaints about mismatched vote tallies, which further fuel doubts,” he said. Narayanaswamy asserted that the Deputy Commissioner had agreed to ensure an impartial and transparent recount process under camera surveillance, with no external pressure allowed.
Drawing historical parallels, he questioned, “Wasn’t Dr. B.R. Ambedkar defeated in 1952 due to electoral malpractice? Didn’t Raj Narayan approach the Allahabad High Court in 1971 over rigging, leading to significant political consequences?” He emphasized the importance of judicial integrity and the Election Commission’s independence, recalling how T.N. Seshan’s tenure transformed it into a powerful autonomous body.
BJP MLC Keshavaprasad S, party spokesperson Ashwath Narayan, Malur BJP candidate Manjunath Gowda, and district president Chalapathi were also present at the event.