Madhya Pradesh Polls: CEO takes up Govind Singh's complaint against Bhind DM

In order to examine the matter (a complaint by assembly LOP) impartially, the commission has asked the district election officer to explain his side and submit a report at the earliest, said Anupam Rajan, CEO, Madhya Pradesh.

On Friday (November 24), Madhya Pradesh CEO (Chief Election Officer) Anupam Rajan said in order to examine the matter (a complaint by assembly LOP) impartially, the commission has asked the district election officer to explain his side and submit a report at the earliest.

There is no deadline as such, but we are expecting his response within a day or two. Each complaint regarding the election process and irrespective of medium (social media etc) is examined and disposed of/ action is taken accordingly, told Rajan. The assembly LOP filed a written complaint summarised in five to six points on Thursday.

Earlier Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Dr. Govind Singh complained against the district election officer and Bhind DM, Sanjeev Shrivasta for being biased and demanding to keep him away from the vote counting process.

Singh met Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan on Thursday and alleged the Collector has been influencing the elections since the beginning and working as an agent of the BJP.

Singh accused that since the time of his posting in Bhind as Collector, DM has been asking his subordinate officers to explain the secret of Govind Singh’s 7th consecutive election victory. Dr Govind Singh also alleged that instead of touring the district (because he was responsible for the entire district), was in Lahar from the beginning till voting ended.

Bhind Collector is the election officer of the entire district. On his instructions, BSF personnel were checking the Aadhaar cards of the voters. This work should have been done by the presiding officer. Attempts were made to create panic among voters amid questioning and checking of Aadhaar cards etc by BSF personnel.

Singh alleged that in polling stations 50 Dhanupura and 45 Gand, many voters were beaten up so that no one could vote. At the behest of the Collector, polling agents of the Congress party were kept outside the polling booth, and fake voting was conducted in favour of BJP by the presiding officers.

In Lahar, the postal ballot papers cast by the government officers/employees engaged in election work were not deposited in the treasury. After complaining about this, postal ballot papers were found in an open cupboard in ITI of Lahar in which many envelopes were open. A day later, these postal ballot papers were deposited in the treasury.

Dr. Govind Singh demanded that the Bhind Collector should be kept away during the counting of votes in Lahar area and that the responsibility should be handed over to some other officer so that the counting of votes can be done impartially.