Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): What could be dubbed as a sensational incident, the government employees allegedly opened boxes of postal ballots in Balaghat district on Monday. On getting the information, the Congress workers rushed to the strongroom and raised their objection.
Later in the evening, a delegation of Congress called on Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan and demanded suspension of Balaghat Collector Dr Girish Kumar Mishra and guilty employees.
It was at 7.30 pm on Monday that a delegation of Congress comprising vice president Rajiv Singh and Congress leader JP Dhanopia met Rajan and handed over a complaint against the Balaghat Collector.
The Congress delegation said that its party candidate had sent the video in which employees are seen tampering the postal ballots of all Assembly seats of Balaghat district. All the postal ballots were kept inside the strongroom of the treasury.
The counting of votes is supposed to be done on December 3. But instead of December 3, the Collector got the treasury room opened and handed over the postal ballots to employees who acted according to their whims. Now, the authenticity of postal ballots is doubtful.
In the video, Congress workers of Balaghat are seen doing the video recording of the incident, asking the employees who told them to do the illegal thing.
They also tried to contact the Collector on his mobile but in vain. They also quizzed one of the employees and said that the box was not supposed to be opened. “You are doing the work of Dec 2 on November 27,” one of the Congress workers is heard in the video.
SDM refutes charges
SDM Gopal Soni clarified over the viral video of postal ballots by stating that nothing such sort of work (of counting the postal ballot) was done. He said as per the election norms, after receiving the postal ballots from other places everyday, the strong room is opened at 3 pm and postal ballots are segregated assembly wise.
After this, systemic bundles are made and this work is done by bringing things into the notice of candidates and their representatives. When the strong room was opened on Monday, someone shot the video and tried to spread the confusion. If any such act is done then action will be taken under section 188.
Balaghat incident is serious matter: Nath PCC president Kamal Nath said a video has surfaced in which it is seen that postal ballots were opened before the voting in Balaghat district. He said that there is apprehension that postal ballots might have been tempered.
A complaint has been made by Congress with EC." This is a serious matter and immediate action shall be taken against the guilty. I urge Congress workers to remain alert and not allow any kind of irregularity".
