JOIN USEC acts over EVM complaints, three UP officials removed from poll duty
Three officials were removed from election duty in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, a day after the Samajwadi Party alleged that electronic voting machines were being shifted in an unauthorised manner.
The officials were replaced on the directions of the Election Commission.
The nodal officer for EVMs in Varanasi, a returning officer (RO) in Sonbhadra district and an additional election officer in Bareilly district have been pulled out from election duties, a day ahead of the counting of votes in UP.
Apart from Uttar Pradesh, counting of votes in Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur will take place on Thursday. The Assembly polls were held in these states over seven phases.
Varanasi District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said Additional DM Nalini Kant Singh has been removed from the election duty for negligence in EVM transportation.
She has also been barred from going to the counting spot. Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Sanjay Kumar has been made the nodal officer EVMs.
Meanwhile, Additional Election Officer V K Singh was removed from the election process in Bareilly. Ballot boxes and other election items were found inside a garbage collection bin of the local municipality in the Baheri area.
In Sonbhadra district, where ballot slips were recovered from a box inside the vehicle of the additional district magistrate, Ghorawal returning officer Ramesh Kumar was removed from election work.
The Varanasi DM said all EVMs were checked late in the night in the presence of election observers and candidates after the ruckus over the alleged replacement of EVMs on Tuesday.
Sharma said all control units, ballot units and VVPATs were checked.
A report from Varanasi said two FIRs have been registered by police against 300 unknown people for violence and hooliganism while protesting the transportation of EVMs on Tuesday.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had on Tuesday cited examples of the three places, alleging the "stealing of votes".
The SP uploaded a video at its Twitter handle of an official admitting that the required protocol was not followed in transporting the EVMs on Tuesday.
He, however, seems to have categorically ruled out any possibility of EVM tampering.
Alleging that EVMs were being tampered with, the SP workers have increased their vigilance outside the strongrooms where the voting machines have been kept.
Reports from districts suggested SP workers checking vehicles of government officials near the strongrooms in Karhal, Badaun, Ballia and Sultanpur.
Akhilesh's startling charge on "theft of votes" drew sharp comments from the ruling BJP leaders.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and minister Mohsin Raza have taken potshots at the SP supremo for creating fuss in anticipation of a sure defeat.
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