The TDP on Monday wrote to the Election Commission urging adequate security on the counting premises to ensure the "YSRCP members do not disturb the counting process" in the State. The letter from TDP Rajya Sabha member K Ravindra Kumar came a day after YSR Congress Party approached the poll body seeking free and fair counting of votes.
YSR Congress Party national general secretary V Vijayasai Reddy had written to the EC alleging that the TDP has "trained some unruly elements and appointed them as their counting agents to disturb the counting process in case their candidates are trailing in the State".
Accusing YSRCP of mischievous game plan like the deletion of genuine voters of TDP by filing applications in bulk in the name of unknown persons from places like Pune and Kolkata, TDP wrote: "We request the Election Commission to provide adequate security in the counting premises to ensure the YSRCP doesn't disturb the counting process."
The letter further states: "As the political parties are not allowed to carry food inside the counting hall premises, necessary arrangements have to be made by the concerned Returning Officers (ROs) to provide food and water to the counting agents also along with other counting personnel...Therefore, instructions may be issued to all ROs to provide food and drinking water to the counting agents during the period of counting."
The TDP leader also requested the EC "to issue instructions to the concerned officials to permit the counting agents to carry Form 17C Part-I /account of votes recorded, Form 17C part-II / scrolling sheet for recording the votes counted and required white papers and pen to make any representation on the counting issues."