Poor arrangements in panchayat poll: GS Bali

Dharamsala, January 23

Former minister and senior Congress leader GS Bali, while addressing a press conference here today, flayed the State Election Commission for flawed arrangements in the panchayat elections.

Bali alleged that the names of candidates were hand-written on the electoral rolls, creating confusion among voters. At a Zila Parishad ward in Indora, 6,000 votes were cancelled as the voters could not decipher the hand-written names of the candidates.

Bali alleged that it was for the first time that printed electoral rolls were not used in panchayat elections. The EC had tried to hijack the elections by following poor procedures. The Congress would soon expose the shortcomings and bring these to the public notice, he said.

Besides, the names of the voters were missing in large numbers in almost all panchayats. In Haler panchayat near Kangra, initially a person was declared a winner. Other candidate protested and in recounting, he came out to be the winner. Government officials, who were conducting the elections, should be suspended and an inquiry should be initiated against them. It showed that the government had tried to win the elections using undemocratic means, he said. — TNS

Allegations

• Candidates’ names were hand-written on electoral rolls
• 6,000 votes cancelled in Indora due to confusion
• In Haler panchayat near Kangra, initially a person was declared a winner. Other candidate protested and in recounting, he came out to be the winner
• It showed that the govt tried to win the elections using undemocratic means

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