Hyderabad: The first phase of Telangana local body polls was conducted on Thursday, December 11, and though the counting is still underway, a deceased candidate was declared the winner.
Fifty-year-old Cherla Murali was contesting for the sarpanch post from Vemulawada Urban. A week ago, he allegedly suffered a heart attack and passed away.
Despite his passing away, his name remained on the ballot. Election officials say he secured more than 700 votes, winning by a margin of 378 votes over his nearest rival.
With the winning candidate no longer alive, the election process for the village has been put on hold.
