Specify complaints: CEO to Cong candidate James
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 09 2019: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) PK Singh has categorically asked Congress candidate in Outer Manipur PC K James to specify his complaints about alleged irregularities committed in entire Assembly segments included within Outer Manipur PC in the polling held on April 11, informed a source.

According to a representation submitted by the CEO to Election Commission of India (ECI) Under Secretary Santosh Kumar Dubey, K James has been advised to submit specific complaints, groups that are alleged to have been involved, the nature of involvement and copies of any FIR lodged by him or any of his polling agents.

It said that all the applications/letters dated April 11, April 15, April 19 and April 22 received from James had been disposed and the same were furnished to the ECI on April 25, copies of which were also endorsed to K James and MPCC on May 2 .

However, K James has been submitting additional complaints one after another on the same matter and he is considering these to be different complaints.

But the only difference in the subsequent complaints is that he is simply adding additional polling stations where he is suspecting irregularity, said the CEO's letter.

With regard to a complaint lodged by the Congress candidate on April 26, the RO concerned submitted her report thereby disposing the same complaint on May 8.Likewise, the RO submitted her report regarding another complaint filed by K James on May 6 wherein she reported that the particular complaint cannot be considered and agreed to, and that the complaint has been treated and disposed on May 8 .

Just after polling for Outer Manipur PC and before the scrutiny, complaints were received from BJP and INC.

The complaints were also raised during scrutiny.

BJP Manipur Pradesh president K Bhabananda demanded repoll in 196 polling stations while K James demanded repoll in 46 polling stations.

After examining available CCTV footage from the list of 196 polling stations given by BJP and 46 polling stations given by K James, repoll was ordered at 19 polling stations, mentioned the CEO's letter.

It said that K James was aggrieved at the cognizance taken by the CEO's office on two very serious complaints made against him.

One complaint pertained to sanctioning of cash credit loan of Rs 100 crore and a term loan of Rs 17 lakh by Punjab National Bank, Circle Office, Guwahati in favour of M/S North East Region Financial Services Limited in which K James was Director and personal guarantor (which has not been cleared).

The second complaint letter pertained to sanctioning of term loan of Rs 30 crore by IDBI Bank to North East Regional Financial Services Ltd.

A status report has already been furnished to the Election Commission on the matter on April 10, informed the source.

In the meantime, K James filed a writ petition at the High Court of Manipur wherein he prayed for giving a clear direction to the respondents (ECI and 3 others) to furnish recordings of the poll proceedings of Phungyar AC, Ukhrul AC, Chingai AC, Saikul AC, Saitu AC, Thanlon AC, Churachandpur AC and Singhat AC and also to direct the respondents to dispose his complaint dated April 26 .

Whereas the particular complaint has been already disposed, available CCTV footages requested by James are being compiled and would be handed over in due course as per ECI's direction, assured the CEO in his letter.

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