Erode East bypoll: Woman denied vote, told it was already cast

ERODE: A 26-year-old woman named Farida Begam from Valaiyakara Veethi in the Erode East assembly constituency was unable to vote at booth number 168 because officials informed her that her vote had already been cast.

This news surprised her, leading to a confrontation with the officials.

In a briefing to reporters, Farida expressed her frustration, stating that the officials failed to provide a clear explanation regarding her vote. "They just advised me to contact the district election officer Rajagopal Sunkara or the election returning officer HS Srikanth about this matter," she said. She mentioned her intention to file a complaint with either of those officials.

In response, election returning officer Srikanth told TOI that he would instruct the officials to permit her to cast a tender vote. "If such a situation occurs, there is an option to cast a tender vote," he clarified.