Greater Hyderabad civic body repoll on February 5

Hyderabad, Feb 4: Repolling in one division of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will be held on Friday, officials said.

The polling in 50 polling centres in Puranapul division of the old city will be held between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The Telangana State Election Commission ordered the re-poll after complaints of rigging by political parties during the polling on Tuesday.

GHMC commissioner and special officer Janardhan Reddy said the counting will be taken up from 3 p.m. on Friday and not 8 a.m. as announced earlier. The first result is expected around 5 p.m.

During the polling held in all 150 divisions, 45.27 percent voters turned out to exercise their franchise. GHMC officials said 33,60,543 voters out of the toal 74,23,980 cast their votes.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) and Congress workers had clashed in Puranapul division during the polling.

Police had arrested MIM legislator Ahmed Pasha Khadri and Congress candidate Mohammed Ghouse after they entered into a heated argument over allegations of rigging.

Ghouse was taken to Mirchowk police station where Congress party's state president Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir came to meet him.

A group led by MIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi also reached the police station and took objection to the presence of the Congress leaders.

Some MIM workers attacked Reddy's car and manhandled the two Congress leaders. Police have booked Owaisi and others. Three of those involved in the attack were arrested by the police on Wednesday.

IANS