Cong candidate in Saikul AC demands justice from ECI
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 02 2022:
Congress candidate in Saikul A/C Lhingkim Haokip has claimed that the election process in the said Constituency was not free and fair at all, with goons and cadres of militant groups intimidating the voters.
Addressing a press meet held today at her residence at Koirengei, the Congress candidate alleged that several irregularities like booth capturing, mismanagement of CCTVs inside polling stations, misconduct of the election officials on duty and intimidations of voters have marred the election process in Saikul A/C .
While accusing her rivals of intimidating and coercing voters by using goons and militant groups, Lhingkim Haokip claimed that many of the villagers were stopped from casting votes for the candidate of their choice.
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Asserting that she found the voting in 46/15 polling station of Saikul A/C closed even before 11 am and absence of BLO on the poll day, the Congress candidate questioned whether the BLO can leave polling station before sealing EVMs.
She also alleged that many of the CCTVs installed inside polling stations in Saikul A/C were kept turned away from polling booths so that the malpractices taking place inside the polling stations cannot be seen in its footage.
It was more like a selection process rather than an election, Lhingkim further alleged.
She went on to assert that many people of Saikul A/C have fled to other villages in search of safe and secure places as the goons and armed groups have been threatening them in case their determined number of votes are not obtained.
Asking ECI to trace the irregularities and misconduct taken place in Saikul A/C through the footage of the CCTVs used on the poll day, Lhingkim demanded a free and fair election in the second phase of the State Assembly Election scheduled on March 5 .
The Congress candidate informed that she had already filed written complaints to the ROs concerned in connection with the refusal to let her agents enter multiple polling stations besides seeking video footage of the CCTVs installed inside polling stations.