1387 ‘duplicate’ ballot boxes: EC

NEW DELHI, Aug 25 (PTI) — The Election Commission today admitted that certain ballot boxes with duplicate numbers had been unearthed in Bihar and asserted that special arrangements were being made to ensure purity of the poll process in the state.

A total of 1,387 out of 3.8 lakh ballot boxes for Bihar had so far been found to have duplicate numbers which had been segregated and were being kept under the safe custody of the District Magistrate, a commission press note said.

These ballot boxes, belonging to seven out of 55 districts in Bihar, would not be allowed to be used at all during the current elections, it said.

"Additionally, the Commission will, in due time, make certain special arrangements before the poll to ensure that the purity of the election process on this account is in no way violated," it said, adding that the measures adopted by the commission would not be made public.

Bihar Chief Electoral Officer A.K. Basu is being called to the commission for necessary consultations in this regard, it said.

Of the 54 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, 19 each would go to the polls on September 18 and 25 and balloting for the remaining 16 would be held on October 3.

Setting at rest any misgivings about usage of ballot boxes with duplicate numbers, the commission said it had been keeping a constant watch on all aspects of the electoral process for conduct of a free and fair poll in the whole country including Bihar.

It was the pro-active action of the commission, through its CEO in Bihar, which resulted in unearthing the existence of certain ballot boxes with duplicate numbers, without numbering, the press note said.

The commission had directed thorough checking and stock taking of all ballot boxes in the state so as to ensure that only the ballot boxes properly numbered and in perfect working condition were put to use in the ensuing elections, it said, adding that "it is as a result of this exhaustive checking that certain ballot boxes were found to bear duplicate serial numbers engraved on them".

Instructions have gone to the District Election Officers concerned to take steps to lodge FIRs in the matter and ask the SPs to personally supervise these cases. In certain constituencies, the inquiring officers have already fixed responsibility on certain officers, it said.

The commission said in two instances, the District Magistrates concerned had initially mentioned a certain figure of ballot boxes bearing duplicate numbers, which was later scaled down.