Observer notes poll malpractice in Wangjing-Tentha AC
Source: Chronicle News Service
Thoubal, March 07 2022:
Election observer for Wangjing-Tentha assembly constituency has produced evidences of malpractice carried out by BJP in polling station no 9 to 17 of the assembly constituency during a joint meeting convened by returning officer of constituency at the office of DC Thoubal on Monday.
BJP election agent Paonam Khelen and NPP election agent Laishram Chittaranjan attended the meeting, which continued for about 5 hours.
The meeting was convened following a complaint raised by the INC candidate Moirangthem Hemanta.
Addressing a press meet at his Tentha residence on Monday afternoon after the meeting, Hemanta said that CCTV footages were reviewed during the meeting and it was found that BJP violated election norms in polling stations no 9 to 17 .
There were several instances of malpractices in the polling stations which include four women and four men indulging in proxy voting repeatedly.
In a clear indication of election malpractice, signatures or thumb impressions of several electors were found missing in the registers, he said and added that there is no reason to rule out re-poll in these polling stations.
Three candidates are contesting for the Wangjing-Tentha seat and each candidate was supposed to have two agents.
INC did not deploy any agent in Wangjing area and as per official records, three agents each of his rival candidates were present in the polling stations.
The election observer produced names of the agents, he said while demanding the authority to arrest the unauthorised agents, who were present inside the polling stations.
As the election observer produced the records one by one, the BJP agent Paonam Khelen said nothing in response.
Interestingly, the names in the poll register match in the exact same order with the electoral roll and it is clear evidence of election malpractice, he contended.
Wangjing-Tentha BCC leaders and several voters of the constituency also attended the press meet.