M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, May 27: A bizarre complaint in the fourth and final phase of the panchayat elections in Palamu, today saw SP Chandan Kumar Sinha, SDPO Surjit Kumar, OC Chainpur Uday Kumar Gupta and cops taking a ‘pagdandi’ to reach a booth at Patarya village to sort out the issue.
According to the Palamu SP, one candidate complained about the ‘faulty and improper folding’ of the ballot papers. The candidate squarely blamed the presiding officer of the booth for the erroneous folding of the ballot papers.
The SP added that the candidate was spreading this canard that by wrong folding of the ballot papers, the presiding officer was trying to invalidate his votes. He further said that it was a serious question mark on the integrity and transparency of the presiding officer.
SP informed that reaching this booth at Patarya by vehicle was not possible so he and his team decided to walk down to the booth. There was a lot of commotion there at the Patarya booth. The candidate was trying to play the victim card of the poll being rigged.
The candidate even dared to ask the SP and others to allow the presiding officer to open the sealed ballot box where the candidate said his complaint about the wrong folding of the ballot papers would be proven true but the demand was rejected. The candidate was asked to give his complaints in writing.
“We assured his complaint about the alleged faulty folding of the ballot papers would be seriously looked into by higher officials in Daltonganj,” the SP said.
Notably, there is a method to fold the ballot paper. It is not to be done in any wretched manner but as it is to save stamping on the ballot paper from spreading over or overlapping the other candidates’ symbols.
Asked if he and SDPO visited the Purabdeeha booth to which the SP said he did and found people holding legs after casting their votes. Booths here are dominated by the upper caste, said sources.
The SP said he also found an unnecessary crowd here. He added that a voter who has cast his vote should not add to the gathering unless the person is waiting for any elderly voter to come out.
SDPO Surjit Kumar said the final phase is full of excitement among the voters and the candidates while our police force is equally alert and cautious.
