Team Herald
PANJIM: Accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of making a ‘mockery of postal ballot process’ in Goa, all opposition parties, including the MGP a former coalition partner in the BJP-led government, on Thursday, unanimously demanded cancellation of the postal ballots and called for re-polling by EVMs for free and fair voting process.
All political parties met to discuss the postal ballot process, which has been conducted in violation of ECI guidelines. Besides the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), those that attended the meeting were Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), MGP, Goa Forward Party, Goa Vikas Party and Goa Su-Raj Party. Though Goa Suraksha Manch representative were not present for the meeting, the party has extended its support.
There are 15,590 postal ballots of which till date the CEO has received 9,579 ballots.
Addressing media persons after the meeting, All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Girish Chodankar said the meeting has resolved that the ECI should immediately take suo-moto cognizance of the concerns raised by the political parties and cancel the postal ballots held till date thereby calling for fresh voting through EVMs for government employees, deployed on election duty.
“We are not against the postal ballot but what we feel is that the ECI has made mockery of postal ballot system. The postal balloting of over 35 days granted to these service voters defeats the purpose of free and fair elections,” he said alleging that the ruling BJP candidates are threatening and influencing voters to vote in their favour.
Chodankar said the issue is more in the interest of the ECI than the political parties as the confidence of the people in the august constitutional authority is more important for the health of Indian democracy.
The all party meet also charged the Chief Electoral Office of leaking serial numbers of postal ballots to BJP, who in turn are misusing it to threaten and influence government employees.
Goa Forward spokesperson Durgadas Kamat said it is the duty of the ECI to fix a rational and reasonable schedule for postal ballots. “The current manner of postal balloting cannot be justified on any rational ground. On the other hand, it has brought disgrace to the election process,” he stated
“There is something wrong in the functioning of CEO. We demand that ECI should send its team to Goa and conduct inquiry into the entire postal ballot process,” Kamat added.
NCP spokesperson Avinash Bhonsle pointed out that the secrecy of the vote and voter is compromised as the identification of the voter is possible on account of the serial numbers, which have been leaked to BJP candidates. “The very conduct of ECI through its CEO office is under question. The CEO office is working under influence of BJP government,” he charged.
The parties also discussed the sudden enrollment of military personnel in the electoral roll, who were allowed to vote in Navelim and Ponda. They demanded that ECI should also investigate into the matter.
