Udupi Youth Congress chief files cheating complaint against election officials

The Udupi District Youth Congress chief, Sudhakar Pandya, filed a formal complaint with the state election commission on Monday, accusing election officials of cheating during the recent local elections. Pandya alleges that multiple polling stations miscounted votes, and that 3,200 ballots were tampered with, leading to the winning candidate's inflated vote tally.

Pandya, who has been active in the youth wing of the Congress party for over a decade, stated in an interview that the allegations are based on eyewitness accounts and photocopied records. He claims that election observers were not allowed to monitor the counting process and that several polling clerks received illicit payments for altering results.

The complaint has prompted the election commission to launch an immediate independent inquiry. If confirmed, up to 18 officials could face criminal charges, and the disputed election results may be annulled. Source: Google News – Udupi.