EVM serial numbers: Sumalatha supporters cry foul

The supporters of Independent candidate A Sumalatha Ambareesh have expressed displeasure against the election officer and alleged a conspiracy in allotting the serial number ‘01’ to JD(S) candidate K Nikhil and the number '20' to Sumalatha.

According to her supporters, it is illegal to allot serial number ‘01’ to a regional party candidate. "The District Election Officer, also Deputy Commissioner, N Manjushree is involved in irregularities due to pressure from Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. The intention is to create confusion among the voters. One Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) can accommodate the names of only 16 candidates. So, Sumalatha’s name will be on the second EVM. This will lead to confusion among the voters," they alleged.

Sumalatha said her name is amid three other Sumalathas, who have filed the papers as Independents. "While one Sumalatha’s name is above my name, two others — M Sumalatha and P Sumalatha — are below. The first Sumalatha has no initials or surname. This is also a conspiracy to confuse the voters," she alleged.

Sumalatha alleged that the DC denied to take action and approved his paper, which was not in order, despite objections raised by her agents to Nikhil’s nomination papers during scrutiny. “I have filed a complaint with the State Election Commission in this regard,” she added.

Mistake in notice

Sumalatha said the notice issued by the DC to her on Friday is yet to reach her. "There is confusion to whom the notice is served as the notice contains two different names. First, it mentions M Sumalatha and A Sumalatha in the end. M Sumalatha is also one of the contestants, so to whom has the notice served? I will approach legal experts in this connection," she said.

BSP allegation

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Nanjundaswamy also alleged irregularities in allotting the serial numbers. According to him, national parties should be awarded serial numbers first. But, here, the election officer has allotted serial number 01 to a regional party candidate and 02 to the BSP. BSP is a national party, he said.