Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 24 2009:
MPP has alleged that there were large rigging and manipulation of EVMs in some polling stations under Andro A/C which they claimed as their stronghold during the polling for Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency held on April 22 .
Poll rigging was carried out by Congress workers in cahoot with the Election Commission of India.
In case no repoll is ordered in all the polling stations of Andro A/C, the Election Commission should bear responsibility for any disturbance in the law and order situation, said MPP MLA O Joy.
Speaking to media persons at the Babupara residence of MDA candidate Th Chaoba today, Joy said that Shyamkumar was elected from Andro A/C under MPP ticket in the last Assembly elections before being nominated Deputy Speaker.
All these achievements were to the credits of MPP, he claimed.
The State Government did not have the authority to label polling stations of Andro A/C as normal which were earlier declared as hyper-sensitive without approval of the Election Commission.
Deploying unarmed personnel of Village Defence Force allegedly constituted by Congress workers, the Congress party indulged in mass rigging in many polling stations, Joy asserted.
The ECI cannot refrain from ordering repoll on the pretext of lack of evidence, Joy maintained while cautioning that the ECI should be held responsible in the event of any breakdown in the law and order situation of the State.
Chief Electoral Officer Shambhu reportedly said that he was not aware of the deployment of VDF by turning hyper-sensitive polling stations into normal polling stations.
The CEO said that the concerned SP was in charge of security deployment, Joy conveyed.
Th Chaoba also accused the Congress party of indulging in mass rigging using money and muscle power in many polling stations under Andro A/C.He also questioned the motive behind turning hyper-sensitive polling stations into normal a few hours before polling started.
Saying that complaints have been filed to the Election Commission demanding repoll in all the polling stations of Andro A/C, Chaoba said that a mass movement will be launched in case no repoll is ordered.
If necessary, a team of MDA will go to Delhi to pursue the matter with the ECI, he added.