BHOPAL: Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered repolling at Demha polling booth of Sidhi Lok Sabha. Voting will be held today (May 6) along with second phase of polling in the state. The EC ordered repolling at Demha polling booth because voters at this booth exercised their franchise only on the basis of voting slips, whereas according to ECI instructions a voter’s identification card is mandatory to cast a ballot.
To election commission’s surprise, complete staff engaged at Demha polling booth, including political party workers and government employees, did not know about the norm that says a voter’s identity card is must along with the voter’s slip. Chief Election Officer VL Kantha Rao warned that action will be taken against the poll officials who were present on duty at the booth. Rao said that there were 708 voters at that booth and all voters from the area cast their ballot vote without any identification card. The central observer caught the fault and gave adverse report to the Election Commission of India. Polling teams have reached the spot and all arrangements have been made for the repolling, Rao added. The EC has recorded statements of polling agents and observer, besides scanning CCTV footage of the booth, before taking the decision.
