20 Feb 2017  |   07:57pm IST

Cong demands scrapping of postal ballot voting

Team Herald

PANJIM: 

Claiming that the free and fair election process is at the stake, the Congress party on Monday demanded scrapping of ongoing postal ballot voting by the government servants deployed on poll duty, alleging that ruling BJP party candidates are threatening and influencing the voters to vote in their favour. The party will urge Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding inquiry into the faulty process adopted by the Chief Electoral Office (CEO).

Addressing media persons, All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Girish Chodankar charged CEO of leaking serial numbers of postal ballots to BJP, who in-turn are misusing it to threaten and influence government employees. “We would be writing to the Election Commission tomorrow (Tuesday) seeking scrapping of postal ballot process and demanding that the employees be allowed to vote through EVMs by organizing a special one day camp,” he said.

Chodankar said that it is for the first time that the employees are been granted such long period for sending their postal ballots.

There were total 15,590 postal ballots, of which CEO has received 8470 ballots till Saturday, while the balance 7000-odd are yet to send their ballots. The last date for casting postal ballot is morning of March 11- the counting day.

“The free and fair election process is at stake. There is no more level playing field. The BJP by misusing its powers has managed to get the marked electoral roll having names of voters for postal ballot and also the serial number of postal ballot, which should be secrete,” Chodankar charged.

He said that as per the ECI guidelines, every candidate has to get marked electoral roll that mentions PB (postal ballot). “But except BJP, no other party candidates have received it. Also CEO has leaked serial number of postal ballot to BJP based on which the candidates, their election agent and family members are calling government employees and threatening,” AICC leader stated.

“We would urge ECI also with a demand to initiate inquiry into the entire process, wherein their own guidelines are being violated,” Chodankar stated.

The Congress party has urged all the political opponents to join hands on the issue and raise serious intervention of ECI.

 Meanwhile, Congress also charged that election office did not follow the procedure while including the names of military personnel in the electoral role, who were allowed to vote in Bambolim, Ponda and Navelim.