JOIN USAssam polls: Congress demands CCTV feed from strong rooms
A day after polling concluded in Assam, Congress on Wednesday demanded that all contesting candidates should be provided access to CCTV surveillance of the strong rooms as it fears EVM-tampering by the ruling BJP.
President of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, Ripun Bora said the party wrote a letter to Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, Nitin Khade seeking access to the CCTV footages or link to the surveillance keeping in mind the "unwanted incidents" reported during the polling.
"Considering several unwanted incidents already reported in connection with EVMs in several places of the place during different election phases, it has now become very much essential to ensure the protection of the EVMs from the rigging. There must be 24X7 surveillance of the strong room agents and providing access to the CCTV surveillance will definitely ensure holding of the election in a fair and impartial manner," Bora said in the letter.
Bora also sought action against Krishnendu Paul, BJP MLA in Patharkandi in South Assam, in whose wife's car EVMs were found soon after polling in the second phase on April 1.
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The Election Commission had suspended four polling personnel in connection with the incident. But the opposition parties asked why no action was taken against Paul. Opposition parties also questioned why EVMs were found in a car in Barpeta during the third phase polling on Tuesday.
Bora exuded confidence that Congress-led grand alliance would win more than 100 seats and form its government after May 2 when results would be declared.
BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said the ruling party and its allies would win more seats than in 2016. "We had won 86 seats in 2016. This time we will get more seats," he said. BJP had won 60 of 126 seats while its allies AGP and BPF got 14 and 12 seats each.
BPF, this time, however, joined the grand alliance of the seven opposition parties.
