Accusing the ruling Congress of rigging the Sitarganj bypolls, the Uttarakhand BJP lodged a complaint with the Election Commission seeking cancellation of Congress candidate and Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna’s nomination from Sitarganj Assembly seat.
BJP candidate Prakash Pant alleged that the entire election process in Sitarganj was influenced by the Congress State Government’s violation of the Election Commission’s norms. Looking at the seriousness of the matter, Bahuguna’s nomination should be cancelled and a detailed inquiry should be ordered, he stressed in his complaint to the Election Commission. He further demanded that the counting of votes, scheduled for July 11, be withheld till the completion of inquiry.
Meanwhile, the Udhamsinghnagar district election officer has ordered an inquiry following media reports on Samajwadi Party MLA from Barhaj in Uttar Pradesh Prem Prakash Singh casting his vote in the Sitarganj bypolls in blatant violation of election norms. Talking to The Pioneer, DEO Brijesh Kumar Sant said that the inquiry report will be submitted in seven days following which the future course of action will be decided. Sant cited media reports which stated that the MLA from UP had exercised his franchise in the Sitarganj assembly bypolls held on Sunday. As per regulations, one cannot be a voter from two different constituencies at the same time; so considering the seriousness of this matter, the district administration immediately ordered an inquiry into this matter, said Sant.
Interestingly, local political analysts said that a common citizen making such an error is understandable, but an elected public representative committing such a violation appears to be more than a harmless mistake. However, as the DEO said, the name of anyone who shifts to another State or to another constituency within the State is deleted on regular basis during electoral roll revision. In this case, if the media reports are true, it could be a mistake on the part of the booth level officer or officials who are assigned the task of electoral roll revision.
Similarly, in this case the name of the UP MLA should have been deleted as he presently belongs to another State, he added Citing this example, the BJP Uttarakhand chief Bishan Singh Chufal alleged that there was bogus voting in the constituency where over 76 per cent polling was recorded.
Src: Daily Pioneer