AP: Enquiry ordered after 14-year-old found to be a poll officer

Hyderabad: The appointment of a 14-year-old boy as a booth level polling officer (BLO) has caused a huge embarrassment for the Election Commission.

According to local media reports, a 14-year-old boy Mohammad Shaik Yousuf has been appointed as a BLO at Chandrayanagutta assembly seat in the walled city of Hyderabad. Alarmed by this news, Chief Electoral Officer AP Bhanwar Lal has ordered an inquiry into the appointment of all 1405 BLOs in Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat.

The matter was brought to his notice by a complainant who informed the election commission that most of the BLOs are affiliated to a particular political party.

Akbaruddin Owaisi is the MLA from Chandrayanagutta. He is the younger brother of Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi. There have been instances of minor boys lined up to cast votes in the previous elections. This seat normally witnesses clashes between rival political parties.