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Beware of vote rigging

The poll authority’s carelessness and lack of prompt action finally have resulted in the incidents of rigging in a number of booths where the real verdict seems to have eluded. Lack of awareness among the political leaders is another reason.

This was more less of what a circle of political leaders and social activists said when they reacted sharply before Assam Times on the rigging expose.

A BJP leader said that the incident could have been avoided. He said that the poll authority failed to take any suo motto action against Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma who met hundreds of school teachers deployed on poll duties two weeks before the election.

“How an education minister can hold mid night meeting with school teachers deployed in poll duties. That too two weeks before the polling? What urgent matters he had to be taken up with them?. The Election Commission did not take any action,” he said.

“The satellite news channels beamed the stories. But none of the opposition party candidates moved the chief election officer to bring it to their notice,” said a social activist.

A Congress leader who refused his name to be published said, “Bornijora polling booth had polling agents of AGP, BJP, AIUDF etc. But what were they doing when the VDP member was repeatedly pressing the EVM buttons on behalf of a section of voters?

Echoing this another social activist questioned, “Who allowed the VDP member to remain inside the booth? Can a VDP member stay inside the booth? Absolutely not. Then why the presiding officer allowed him to do so?”

The poll authorities did not take prompt steps. Political leaders have hardly any knowledge of the guidelines. That’s why, a section of uncouth polling officials allow rigging after contractual understanding with a party or a candidate.

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