Saturday, 03 April 2021 | PNS | New Delhi
Amid the uproar over the use of a car registered in the name of the wife of Assam BJP MLA Krishnendu Paul to transport an EVM, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday suspended six officials, including four polling personnel and the presiding officer of Ratabari (SC) Assembly constituency in Assam and ordered an enquiry into the incident.
“The special general observer in its report has stated that there is otherwise no deliberate or malafide intention in the incident aimed to disrupt the polling process. Action is to be taken against armed escort officer for leaving behind the stranded polling party and not ensuring their safe arrival at the destination,” the EC said.
The EC also issued a factual report on the incident saying though the polled EVMs comprising Balloting Unit, Control Unit and VVPAT was found to be with its seal intact without any damage and all the items were deposited in the strong room, the EC decided to do a re-poll at the concerned polling booth in Ratabari (SC)as extra precaution.
To prevent the polling team from being assaulted in Karimganj by a mob which alleged that the electronic voting machine was being taken for tampering the police resorted to firing in the air to bring the situation under control.
A senior Assam journalist had shared a video of the incident and it went viral on social media.
The EC said following the special observers report, Armed Escort Officer Luhit Gohain, Sub-Inspector of Police (Armed Branch) of 3rd Assam Police Battalion, Titabor has also been suspended.
To ensure credibility and fairness, Presiding Officer Sahab Uddin Talukdar, first Polling Officer SouravAcharjee; second Polling Officer: Abdul MumitChoudhary and third Polling officer: Sahab Uddin Tapadar; had already been suspended.
Targeting the BJP over the incident, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said the Election Commission should act decisively on such complaints and that a serious re-evaluation of the use of EVMs needs to be carried out by all national parties.
According to the EC’s report, the polling party after completion of polls on Thursday was returning in a convoy escorted by an armed escort led by the Police Sector Officer ABSI Luhit Gohain.
In all, 1300 vehicles were returning on the national highway NH8. Combined with the inclement weather, this had led to unprecedented traffic congestion on the highway. As the relevant polling party was approaching Nilam Bazaar, its vehicle broke down at about 9 pm. Due to the traffic congestion and the prevailing weather condition, the party detached from its convoy.
“The polling party of 149-Indira MV School of LAC 1 Ratabari (SC) met with an unfortunate incident on April 1, 2021. The polling party comprised a Presiding Officer and 3 polling personnel. They were accompanied by police personnel comprising a constable and a home-guard,” the EC said.
The party alighted from the vehicle and telephoned sector officer Ajoy Sutradhar to apprise him of the snag. While the sector officer was arranging for an alternate vehicle, the polling party decided to arrange a vehicle on its own so as to reach the material receipt centre faster since they were in the custody of polled EVMs.
At about 9.20 pm, the polling party hailed a passing vehicle and boarded it along with the EVM and other things, without checking the ownership of the vehicle.
As reported by the polling party, they moved towards Karimganj and as they reached Kanaishil at about 10 pm, they had to slow down in the traffic.
At this point, they were surrounded by a mob of about 50 people which started pelting stones at them. The mob was also abusing the poll personnel and did not allow the vehicle to pass.
When they asked the leader of the mob, he replied that it was the vehicle of Krishnendu Paul, a contesting candidate of a neighbouring constituency (Patharkandi LAC-2), and alleged that the EVM was being taken for tampering.
The EC said it was only then that the polling party realised that something was amiss and alerted the sector officer. However, a larger crowd had gathered by then and the polling party was attacked and held hostage by a mob along with the EVM.
