Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has alleged major irregularities in the voter list for Durg district. During a press conference held in Bhilai on Thursday, Baghel claimed that the voter list released ahead of the upcoming local body elections contains numerous discrepancies, with the names of many voters shifted from their original locations. Polling booths for hundreds of voters have been changed even though no delimitation process took place. Baghel has demanded an extension for the submission of claims and objections, and a fresh update to the voter list. Speaking to the media, Baghel noted that local body elections are scheduled for the end of this year in Durg district, covering the Bhilai Municipal Corporation, Bhilai-Charoda Municipal Corporation, and Risali Municipal Corporation, as well as the Jamul and Ahiwara municipal councils.

 

He stated that the voter list for Durg district has undergone a revision, but the version provided to their district presidents contains significant errors. In all these local bodies, the polling booths and wards assigned to voters have been altered, which will impact the performance of candidates in the elections. Baghel pointed out that the voter list was made available to their district presidents only a day after its release, while the deadline for filing claims and objections is October 30. Furthermore, Booth Level Officers

 

(BLOs) were not present in their designated wards, which hindered the process of filing claims and objections is a matter about which several individuals have already lodged complaints. Baghel alleged that instead of being stationed in their respective wards, the BLOs were working from the Municipal Corporation office to “correct” the voter list, which itself serves as evidence that the list is flawed. Through the media, former CM Bhupesh Baghel has put forward three demands. He insisted that the voter list must be updated again, as the wards of hundreds of voters have been changed without any delimitation, which will inevitably affect the election results. His second demand is that the deadline for submitting claims and objections be extended. The former CM stated that their third demand is that action should be taken against any government official or non-governmental individual involved in irregularities within the electoral roll.