Ink controversy: Anand places records before electoral officer

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 25

RK Anand, the INLD and the Congress supported candidate for the Rajya Sabha poll, today concluded his submissions before the Election Commission’s inquiry officer and State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vijay Singh Dahiya in the ink controversy.

Media baron and BJP-backed candidate Subhash Chandra also offered his defence during the hearing, but said his complaint given to the EC on June 15 was yet to come before the inquiry officer.

The State Election Commission said Dahiya was likely to submit his report within the next two or three days unless Chandra’s representation given to the EC warranted another hearing.

Anand said he had placed before the CEO record of 26 telephonic calls between RO RK Nandal and Chandra’s agent Virender Mohan.

“In some of these Nandal is the caller while in others, Mohan called him,” said Anand.

He said Chandra visited the room where polling was to be held on June 10, a day before the election, which he had proved before the CEO today.

Ashok Tanwar, state Congress president, said it was also brought to CEO’s notice that when all other BJP MLAs voted, Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta was the election agent. But when Aseem Goyal, who allegedly changed the pen, came for voting, the agent was Rohtak MLA Manish Grover, who was again replaced by Gupta once Goyal had voted.

Chandra, however, said, he has demanded registration of an FIR under Section 171-C (interference with the free exercise of any electoral right) of the IPC against Congress and INLD leaders for issuing whip to their MLAs, which, he claimed, could not be issued in elections for President and the Rajya Sabha.

He said he had also placed for the CEO media reports immediately before the polling which suggested that a majority of Congress MLAs were not in favour of electing Anand.

Meanwhile, Congress workers held a protest outside the Vidhan Sabha against the Rajya Sabha polling issue.