New Delhi:
The Election Commission today rejected Mulayam Singh Yadav's vote in the Presidential poll and directed the Returning Officer (RO) not to count it as the secrecy of the ballot had been violated.
During polling yesterday, the Samajwadi Party chief had mistakenly ticked NDA candidate Purno Sangma's name instead of UPA's Pranab Mukherjee. Realising his error in time, he tore the ballot paper and then voted afresh.
Following the goof-up, Mr Sangma's polling agent complained to the Returning Officer and demanded that Mr Yadav's vote be cancelled. The complaint was then referred to the Election Commission.
In its order today, the poll panel said, "The commission is of the opinion that the issue of second ballot paper to Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav was not warranted under rule 15 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974.
"Therefore, the second ballot paper issued to Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav may not be taken up for counting. It may also be added that the first ballot paper issued to Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav cannot be counted as the secrecy of ballot was violated."
The SP chief has staunchly and visibly been by Mr Mukherjee's side since his candidacy was announced by the Congress-led UPA. But that came later. For a brief spell of about two days in June, Mr Yadav had the Congress in a spin when he appeared in a cameo at the side of Mamata Banerjee to suggest the names of three people for President. Mr Mukherjee's name was not on the list; Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's was. This was a major embarrassment for the Congress as it suggested that allies and supporting parties had lost confidence in Dr Singh as PM.
Congress leaders said they had expected trouble from ally Ms Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is part of the UPA government, but not from Mr Yadav, who is not part of the government but who has bailed the Congress-led alliance out of sticky political situations more than once.
All was well, however, once Mr Mukherjee's name was officially announced as the UPA's candidate. The Mamata episode forgotten, Mr Yadav was quick to pledge his support.
During polling yesterday, the Samajwadi Party chief had mistakenly ticked NDA candidate Purno Sangma's name instead of UPA's Pranab Mukherjee. Realising his error in time, he tore the ballot paper and then voted afresh.
Following the goof-up, Mr Sangma's polling agent complained to the Returning Officer and demanded that Mr Yadav's vote be cancelled. The complaint was then referred to the Election Commission.
In its order today, the poll panel said, "The commission is of the opinion that the issue of second ballot paper to Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav was not warranted under rule 15 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974.
"Therefore, the second ballot paper issued to Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav may not be taken up for counting. It may also be added that the first ballot paper issued to Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav cannot be counted as the secrecy of ballot was violated."
The SP chief has staunchly and visibly been by Mr Mukherjee's side since his candidacy was announced by the Congress-led UPA. But that came later. For a brief spell of about two days in June, Mr Yadav had the Congress in a spin when he appeared in a cameo at the side of Mamata Banerjee to suggest the names of three people for President. Mr Mukherjee's name was not on the list; Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's was. This was a major embarrassment for the Congress as it suggested that allies and supporting parties had lost confidence in Dr Singh as PM.
Congress leaders said they had expected trouble from ally Ms Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is part of the UPA government, but not from Mr Yadav, who is not part of the government but who has bailed the Congress-led alliance out of sticky political situations more than once.
All was well, however, once Mr Mukherjee's name was officially announced as the UPA's candidate. The Mamata episode forgotten, Mr Yadav was quick to pledge his support.
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