One vote, two Tirupatturs: DMK flags postal ballot mix-up after HC order

NEW DELHI: The DMK connected Tuesday said owed to the imaginable mix-up of postal votes betwixt Tiruppattur successful Sivaganga territory and Tiruppattur territory adjacent Vellore, the Madras High Court has restrained a TVK MLA from voting successful the assembly level test.While TVK's Seenivasa Sethupathi secured 83,375 votes successful the election, DMK's K R Periyakaruppan got 83,374 votes. Sethupathi was declared elected by a borderline of conscionable 1 vote."If the azygous disputed ballot is counted successful the DMK's favour, the tally would go equal, requiring a flip of a coin to determine the election," DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai told PTI.The tribunal has directed the MLA to refrain from voting until the writ petition reaches a conclusion.The combat betwixt DMK and TVK dragged connected till 1:30 americium connected counting day. Periyakaruppan led till circular 16, but from circular 17 onwards, Sethupathy gained a lead. He led with 819 votes erstwhile counting of EVMs ended, securing 83,010 votes against Periyakaruppan's 82,191 votes.With the summation of postal ballots — 1,183 for Periyakaruppan and 365 for Sethupathy — the last number stood astatine 83,374 for Periyakaruppan and 83,375 for Sethupathy.

District predetermination serviceman K Porkodi told TOI that mock polls for 2 EVMs were not cleared portion the power portion of 1 EVM was not decently functioning. Hence, votes had to beryllium counted from VVPAT."When the borderline is 1 vote, arsenic per ECI guidelines, we were made to re-verify the 306 rejected postal ballots," the collector said. After re-verification, nary valid votes were recovered to alteration the margin.The returning serviceman decided not to bid a recount, providing a written mentation for the decision.