MONDAY, MAY 20, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The Congress Party on Tuesday filed complaints against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct during the Lok Sabha elections.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Vice President Sunil Kawthankar filed complaints against Union Minister of State for Tourism and North Goa constituency BJP candidate Shripad Naik, his son North Goa ZP Adhyaksh Siddesh Naik, BJP South Goa candidate Pallavi Dempo, Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar and Inox Multiplex, Porvorim.
The complaint against Shripad accused him of appealing voters through a post on 'X' (formerly Twitter) to vote for the BJP.
The complaint against Pallavi Dempo was for allegedly appealing to voters from polling Booth No. 15 of Panjim Assembly segment to vote for the BJP. She was also accused of appealing to voters from the Ponda Assembly segment to vote for the BJP.
In a complaint filed against Siddesh, Kawthankar alleged that he was moving in polling station of Government Primary School, Sao Pedro-Ribandar, wearing a T-shirt which had wordings written on it ‘Modi once more 2024’ referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the complaint against Sudin, Kawthankar accused him of saying at a polling station at Marcaim that people will vote in large numbers for Pallavi.
The complaint against Inox multiplex, Porvorim, was that it was playing BJP advertisements on polling day.
Similarly, Cumbharjua MLA Rajesh Faldessai was accused of being seen at a polling station at Government Primary School, Malar-Old Goa, wearing a muffler of BJP party symbol.
Kawthankar pointed out that indelible ink applied to the fingers of voters was disappearing upon washing hands.
He said that there were complaints regarding VVPAT and cited an example of polling Booth No. 23 in Curchorem Assembly segment where VVPAT slips were not falling in the box upon the casting of vote on EVM and even after concerns raised, no satisfactory action was taken by the presiding officer.
The GPCC vice president said faulty EVMs and disallowing entry to polling agents inside the polling stations were primary issues across the State, which slowed down polling process drastically, discouraging the voters.
