SAD wants counting deferred

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 21

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to order repoll at 111 polling booths and defer counting in respective constituencies to “ensure justice to voters as well as candidates”.

In a letter to the SEC, party spokesman Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema thanked the Commission for having ordered repoll in 53 booths spread over six districts, but questioned the decision to exclude the remaining 111 captured booths. Along with the letter, he annexed a list of 164 booths which were allegedly captured by Congress supporters led by ministers, legislators and other leaders.

The SAD also demanded videography of all counting centres — the hall as well as the outer complex — and directed the observers to be present at the centres throughout counting.

Dr Cheema asked the SEC to immediately hold an inquiry and order repoll to restore people’s faith in democracy and simultaneously salvage its own substantially eroded credibility. He said officials had got candidates’ signatures on blank pro formas as specimen which may be misused while declaring the result.