Case filed in ‘ticking of postal ballots’: Police

DEHRADUN/PITHORAGARH: A day after Congress leader Harish Rawat shared a video on the social media purportedly showing a man was ticking all postal ballot at an army centre in Pithoragarh, police on Thursday filed a case in the matter.

Lokeshwar Singh, superintendent of police Pithoragarh, said the video was being claimed to be from Didihat constituency and a case against unknown person was filed at Didihat police station under sections of the People’s Representation Act.

Singh said: “The case was lodged on a complaint of Congress candidate from Didihat Pradeep Pal. We are investigating the matter and also talking to army officers about the video.”

Basant Kumar Tamta, a subinspector at Didihat police station, was given responsibility to investigate the case, he said.

Rawat had shared a video on his Facebook page, saying, “I am making a short video viral for the information of everyone, in this, how at army centre one person is ticking all the votes and even putting the signatures of all. See this sample. Will the Election Commission take cognisance of it?”

Meanwhile, a delegation of Congress leaders under the leadership of state Congress president Ganesh Godiyal met the chief electoral officer in Dehradun and submitted a complaint.

In the complaint, the Congress submitted the copy of the viral video, alleging that they have received complaints from many areas that postal votes of army men were being cast in favour of BJP candidates at one place, and thus denying the right to vote of soldiers from the state posted across the country.

The Congress has also demanded that there should be repolling of postal votes given the irregularities that are coming to fore.

BJP state media in charge Manveer Singh Chauhan, while rejecting the Congress’s demand for re-polling, said the Congress was trying to declare the postal ballot votes illegal on the basis of such video clips, but the truth is that the Congress was scared.

“Until and unless something has been proved, accusations and negative atmosphere should not be created about it,” Chauhan said.

The case was filed on a complaint of Congress candidate from Didihat Pradeep Pal. We are investigating the matter and talking to army officers about the video LOKESHWAR SINGH, superintendent of Pithoragarh police