Questioning silence of election machinery into the alleged theft of digital video recorder of Umrer assembly segment, the Congress candidate from Ramtek Lok Sabha seat, Kishor Gajbhiye said it is a fit case for repoll and demanded not to count votes of 384 booths of Umrer assembly segment. Gajbhiye questioned the delay in lodging FIR and wondered as to why administration was issuing contradictory statements over the issue.

 

Gajbhiye along with Nana Patole while addressing a press conference at Press Club hall, sought complete footage from Returning Officer and Additional Collector Shrikant Phadke and warned that they would not allow counting process to start on May 23.

 

He also cast aspersion on the role of Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) of Umrer Jagdish Londhe who failed to register FIR with police regarding stealing of the DVR and informing his superiors including Returning Officer, Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra, and Election Commission of India about the theft of DVR. Gajbhiye further claimed movement of a person associated with rival campaign and hence demanded through inquiry.

 

Meanwhile, Nana Patole in his statement raised question about delay in shifting EVMs, control unit and VVPAT machines to Kalamna strong room. Within city why should it take election machinery more than 48 hours to gather the EVMs and said one does not know where entire process was under CCTV watch from sealing of machines after polling was complete to its deposit at Kalamna?

 

Vikas Thakre, President, Nagpur City District Congress Committee, Rajendra Mulak, President, Nagpur District Congress Committee, Nana Gawande, Atul Londhe, Abhijit Wanjari, and others were present at the press conference.