Rajya Sabha Polls: Why Maharashtra Counting Delayed For Hours Explained

Maharashtra Rajya Sabha elections: The BJP challenged the votes cast by cabinet ministers Jitendra Awhad (NCP), Yashomati Thakur (Congress) and Suhas Kande (Shiv Sena)

The counting for election to six Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra was delayed for several hours on Friday as the BJP questioned the validity of ballots cast by three MLAs of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi, or MVA, coalition, alleging that rules were violated. The counting of votes, which was to start at 5 pm on Friday, had not started even after midnight.

The MVA, too, sought to invalidate two votes, one by a BJP MLA and another by an independent.

The BJP challenged the votes cast by cabinet ministers Jitendra Awhad (NCP), Yashomati Thakur (Congress) and Suhas Kande (Shiv Sena).

The BJP alleged Mr Awhad and Mr Thakur gave their ballots to their party agents instead of only showing them, while Mr Kande allegedly showed his ballot to two different agents.