Meira gets majority in Punjab, mystery over 3rd invalid vote

CHANDIGARH There were no surprises in store as Meira Kumar polled a majority of votes in Punjab in the presidential elections.

But the results left a mystery over a third invalid vote.

With 77 MLAs of the Congress and support of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s 19 MLAs — former leader of Opposition HS Phoolka had abstained from voting — Meira Kumar should have mustered a total of 96 votes. But the final tally showed 95 votes for her. Which means one of the votes of either a Congress or AAP legialator was also found invalid.

Two votes — one of Akali Dal MLA and former finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Simarjeet Singh Bains of Lok Insaf Party (LIP), AAP’s ally — were learnt to have been found invalid while the polling was on.

Dhindsa had demanded another ballot paper claiming he had spilled ink near the name of Kumar by mistake but his request was denied. He is learnt to have also marked against Kovind’s name, rendering his vote invalid.

Bains had accused the polling officers of “rejecting” his vote, saying they claimed he had shown it to them and a few others. NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind, as was expected, got 14 votes of SAD MLAs after Dhindsa’s vote was anulled, three of BJP and one of Balwinder Bains of LIP as the party had announced to support Kovind.

The third invalid vote has led to speculations on who and how, but the Congress sources claimed all their 77 MLAs had voted in the right format.

“The ballot box was sealed and taken to Parliament House at New Delhi by air the same night. The votes were counted there so we cannot say who could the third invalid vote belong to,” a polling officer said, requesting anonymity.