ADDITIONAL Chief Election Officer (CEO) Sandeep Yadav heard Congress leaders and Army Authority for inquiry into a complaint of polling by servicemen in Cantt Assembly Constituency during fourth phase of general election in Jabalpur Parliamentary Constituency. Congress candidate in Jabalpur Parliamentary Constituency Vivek Krishna Tankha along with other Congress leaders had filed a written complaint with the Election Commission of India in New Delhi on May 2 against voting done by about 3,500 military personnel whose names were wrongly included in electoral roll as electoral of Cantt-99 Assembly Constituency in violation of Representation of People’s Act-1951 and Representation of People’s Act-1950. He also alleged the method and manner in which the Government machinery (Military Establishment) were misused by the Station Commander Brigadier Rajesh Negi to further prospects of BJP candidate Rakesh Singh.

 

 

 

Taking a serious note on the complaint, Election Commission of India constituted a team led by Additional Election Commissioner Sandeep Yadav comprising CEO Madhya Pradesh’s Rajesh Shrivastava for inquiry into the complaint.

The team reached Jabalpur on Friday and started inquiry into the complaint. Additional Commissioner Yadav heard parts of Congress leaders and Army authority and sought report from District Returning Officer (DRO). Collector and District Returning  Officer Chhavi Bharadwaj, while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ informed that she personally cross-checked all the records of servicemen with voters’ lists and found that a total number of 2,200 servicemen were listed in the electoral roll. Voters’ identity card numbers of every single serviceman was available but their address was registered zero as they lived in barracks in Army areas. Servicemen cast their votes as per guidelines of the Election Commission and no evidence of fake polling was reported in her inquiry. She submitted her inquiry report to the Election Commission.

 

 

On the other hand, Congress leaders named Vivek Tankha’s representative Prem Dubey, Abhishek Chouksey, Dr Alok Chansoria and others provided documenary evidences and charged partial working of Army authorities to provide undue advantage to BJP candidate.

 

Station Commander and Chairman of Cantonment Board Jabalpur Brigadier Rajesh Negi in his statement to the Election Commission stated that servicemen cast their votes as per guidelines of Election Commission. He informed that servicemen were provided conveyance to reach the polling station because there was no holiday for servicemen and they are not allowed to use even bicycle during their training period. ECI, Additional Commissioner, Sandeep Yadav randomly questioned BLOs and presiding officers of Polling Booth number 143 to 180 and took their statements. ECI team will present its report before the commission for further proceedings on charges levelled by Congress leaders.