<p><br />The party has alleged that the State Election Commission fixed the counting day on April 5 only to facilitate the State government with ample time to clear crucial files in BBMP. <br /><br />Former mayor M Ramachandrappa said BJP was reluctant to hold the elections to BBMP initially. The officers were busy clearing files even when the poll code was in force. Now, the SEC has helped the Government by providing a week’s time to clear the files. Ramachandrappa said he would submit a memorandum to the SEC on Wednesday, demanding early counting.<br /><br />The SEC defended its decision in view of the PU and SSLC examinations. Commission Secretary D K Ravindranath said the counting of votes is held normally three-four days after the polling. However, this time, the polling was held on Sunday (March 28) not to disturb the exams in schools and colleges. Similarly, the re-poll was slated for April 4, also a Sunday.<br /><br />“This time the necessity to conduct re-poll did not arise since there were no untoward incidents affecting voting, anywhere. As per the schedule the counting will be held on April 5,” he said. <br /><br />The SEC has set up strong rooms in 27 centres to keep electronic voting machines (EVMs). The counting is being held at only such schools and colleges where exams are not scheduled, he added. On the counting day the EVMs will not be carried to any other centres as the counting will be held in the counting rooms to be set up in the same centres.<br /><br />‘HC order not violated’<br /><br />Karnataka High Court had directed the State government to hold the BBMP polls and complete the process including counting of votes, before March 30. But the State Election Commission has scheduled the counting on April 5. Will this amount to violation of the court order? <br /><br />Senior advocate Prof Ravivarma Kumar, who represented one of the petitioners seeking early elections to BBMP, said the essential part of the election process is polling which the SEC completed before the deadline. “The counting is on April 5. However, it can’t be considered as willful disobedience of the court’s order. The commission has drawn the calendar of events considering school examinations”, he said.</p>
<p><br />The party has alleged that the State Election Commission fixed the counting day on April 5 only to facilitate the State government with ample time to clear crucial files in BBMP. <br /><br />Former mayor M Ramachandrappa said BJP was reluctant to hold the elections to BBMP initially. The officers were busy clearing files even when the poll code was in force. Now, the SEC has helped the Government by providing a week’s time to clear the files. Ramachandrappa said he would submit a memorandum to the SEC on Wednesday, demanding early counting.<br /><br />The SEC defended its decision in view of the PU and SSLC examinations. Commission Secretary D K Ravindranath said the counting of votes is held normally three-four days after the polling. However, this time, the polling was held on Sunday (March 28) not to disturb the exams in schools and colleges. Similarly, the re-poll was slated for April 4, also a Sunday.<br /><br />“This time the necessity to conduct re-poll did not arise since there were no untoward incidents affecting voting, anywhere. As per the schedule the counting will be held on April 5,” he said. <br /><br />The SEC has set up strong rooms in 27 centres to keep electronic voting machines (EVMs). The counting is being held at only such schools and colleges where exams are not scheduled, he added. On the counting day the EVMs will not be carried to any other centres as the counting will be held in the counting rooms to be set up in the same centres.<br /><br />‘HC order not violated’<br /><br />Karnataka High Court had directed the State government to hold the BBMP polls and complete the process including counting of votes, before March 30. But the State Election Commission has scheduled the counting on April 5. Will this amount to violation of the court order? <br /><br />Senior advocate Prof Ravivarma Kumar, who represented one of the petitioners seeking early elections to BBMP, said the essential part of the election process is polling which the SEC completed before the deadline. “The counting is on April 5. However, it can’t be considered as willful disobedience of the court’s order. The commission has drawn the calendar of events considering school examinations”, he said.</p>
