SP on leave after row at strong room Congress fears discrepancies, asks candidates to keep watch
objections with the security officials. “The SP (Shekhawat) and other police officers misbehaved with me. They were drunk. My supporters got agitated over the fracas and protested. I spoke to the DGP and demanded the SP’s removal,” he said.
Singh’s supporters shut shops to protest the incident. ADG Soni held a meeting with district election officer (DEO) Sandesh Nayak, IG Malini Agarwal and Singh.
Soni said FIRs from both parties have been registered against each other.
Shekhawat denied the allegations that he had misbehaved with the MLA. “The allegations made by Singh are baseless and he is trying to misguide the people of Deeg-Kumher,” he said.
The officer claimed that Singh had demand that the counting of votes be done under the supervi- sion of another officer. “In order to maintain transparency in the counting of votes, I have applied for leave for five days,” he said.
DEO Nayak, too, denied the allegation made by Singh regarding unknown vehicles entering the premises of the strong room.
He said, “There was no void in the security arrangements. Strong room has been guarded with three-layer security. Singh got wrong information that some vehicles had come inside the premises and the electronic voting machines are been replaced. After which the issue heated up.”
Nayak added, “The vehicle that came in the premises of the college was carrying for the security personnel. We had a meeting today and we have convinced him of the security arrangements at the strong room.”
Following the direction of central and state leadership, Congress candidates in Rajasthan are maintaining a vigil outside the strong rooms where electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been kept after the polling on December 7.
Congress MLA from Sapotra assembly constituency in Karauli district, Ramesh Chand Meena, along with his supporters, camped outside the strong room on Saturday night alleging suspicion of EVM tampering. “The way things are done, it seems the district election officer is working against us. We suspect that the EVM may be removed. We have complained against him to the election commission. We will continue to camp till the results are out,” he said.
Karauli district election officer Abhimanyu Kumar said the allegations will be examined. “We conducted a peaceful election and no untoward incident was reported. Adequate security has been deployed as per the guidelines of the election commission.”
State Congress president Sachin Pilot had earlier said, “We have asked the candidates and workers to be vigilant and ensure that the CCTV cameras outside the strong room are operational.”
Congress candidates at other constituencies too have deployed
JAIPUR:
their teams. “We are concerned about the security of the EVMs and possibilities of its tampering; hence have deployed teams outside the strong rooms to keep an eye,” said Vivek Katara, Congress candidate, Udaipur Rural seat. Similarly, senior Congress leader and party candidate from Udaipur City, Dr Girja Vyas also stated that teams have been assigned duties to keep a watch on the machines.
Congress Ajmer (north) candidate Mahendra Singh Ralawata said, “My team has been visiting the strong room daily. Every three hours my team visits the college where EVMs are kept.”
Regarding the provisions of candidates monitoring the strong room, chief electoral officer Anand Kumar said tents are set up inside the campus where EVMs are kept to enable the candidates and election agents to keep a watch through CCTV cameras. In addition to this, they are permitted visit the strong room once or twice in a day.
AICC president Rahul Gandhi, too, had cautioned workers on Friday. “Congress party workers, it’s time to be vigilant. In MP, EVMs behaved strangely after polling: Some stole a school bus and vanished for 2 days. Others slipped away & were found drinking in a hotel. In Modi’s India, the EVMs have mysterious powers. Stay alert!” he had tweeted.
Gandhi’s comment came after some EVMs and VVPATs in Madhya Pradesh had reached the strong room 48 hours after the polling on November 28.