The Election Commission (EC) on Friday ordered a repoll at a polling station in Ratabari seat of Assam after the poll officials carried an EVM after polling in a vehicle which reportedly belonged to a BJP candidate, reported news agency ANI. In a statement, the EC said that four officials involved have been suspended.
"Presiding Officer was issued show-cause notice for violation of transport protocol. PO & 3 other officials placed under suspension. Although EVM's seals were found intact it has been decided to do a re-poll at No 149- Indira MV School of LAC 1 Ratabari(SC)," EC said.
The EC on Friday informed that on examination, the polled EVM comprising of BU, CU and VVPAT was found to be intact with its seal sans any damage and all the items have been deposited in the strong room.
An FIR has been lodged against unknown persons after they attacked a car, allegedly belonging to a BJP candidate, carrying an EVM used for polling, reported ANI. The EVM was being carried in the car after the EC vehicle broke down and officials took a lift in the passing car, sources told ANI.
Violence broke out in Karimganj district of Assam on Thursday night after some Congress and AIUDF supporters spotted a BJP candidate's vehicle being used to take a polled EVM to the strong room, forcing the police to fire in the air to bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the Election Commission should act decisively on such complaints and that a serious re-evaluation of the use of EVM’s needs to be carried out by all national parties.
In a series of tweets, the Congress leader attacked the BJP and said every time an incident related to EVMs comes into the light, the Bharatiya Janata Party is found to be associated with it.
"Every time there is an election videos of private vehicles caught transporting EVM's show up. Unsurprisingly they have the following things in common--1. The vehicles usually belong to BJP candidates or their associates (sic)," tweeted Vadra.
2. The videos are taken as one-off incidents and dismissed as aberrations 3. "The BJP uses its media machinery to accuse those who exposed the videos as sore losers. The fact is that too many such incidents are being reported and nothing is being done about them," she said in another tweet.
The Congress general secretary added that the Election Commission should start taking decisive actions on complaints related to EVMs.
"EC needs to start acting decisively on these complaints and a serious re-evaluation of the use of EVM's needs to be carried out by all national parties," she tweeted.
