Double EVM slur casts on Nungba repoll
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 05, 2012: MSCP candidate in Nungba Assembly Constituency, Adim Panmei has complained to the District Election Officer (DEO), Tamenglong not to validate the polling which was reportedly conducted in a new EVM after the first EVM had already been sealed at polling station number 58/9 - Chakanlong (Tupul) in yesterday's repolling.

In a press conference held at MSCP office here today, Adim Panmei demanded the authority concerned not to include the second EVM in counting of votes.

He said that polling at this polling station ended peacefully at around 3.15 pm with 597 voters casting their votes.

However, Congress candidate Gaikhangam allegedly came with his supporters at around 4 pm at the polling station and asked the Presiding Officer to open the EVM which had already been sealed, Adim Panmei alleged.

He further alleged that Gaikhangam's PRO John Panmei even fired 4-5 rounds in the air threatening the polling personnel.

Congress workers joined the PRO in forcing the Presiding Officer to open the extra EVM which was brought for use in emergency and more than 145 people were allowed to vote in favour of Congress, he alleged.

Saying that no inner agents for NPF and MSCP were present in the second spell of voting, Adim Panmei said that he has already lodged a complaint to the District Election Officer regarding the matter.

He drew attention of the authority concerned not to include the second EVM in counting of votes.

Peidai condemns :Meanwhile, Chakanlong (Charoichagotlong) Pedai has termed yesterday's incident as illegal.

In a press release, the Peidai alleged that 59 of the voters who cast votes in the second spell of polling were outsiders.

It has been a long standing demand of the Peidai that the names of these 59 voters, who are not residents of the polling unit, be deleted from the electoral roll.

However, instead of deleting their names, the voters were allowed to cast their votes using a new EVM in yesterday's repolling, the Peidai lamented.

It alleged that the polling personnel including security forces allowed to 'illegally' cast votes to INC voters while other candidates, agents and supporters were scared away with firing of gun shots, using muscle power and threatening shouts in yesterday's repolling at polling station number 54/9 of Nungba A/C. The Peidai alleged that DC Tamenglong, SDO Nungba and BLO did not take up any action to delete the names of 59 'outsider voters' form the electoral roll although the Peidai had complained in this regard on various occasions.

Comment