Election Commission releases “factual report” on incident involving EVM at Karimganj
New Delhi: The Election Commission today sought to clarify that the polling party carrying EVM from No.149 – Indira M.V.School, Ratabari (SC) Assembly Constituency in Assam after the second phase of polling on April 1, 2021 hailed a passing vehicle and boarded it along with their EVM and other things “without checking the ownership of the vehicle bearing the number AS-10B-0022”.
As it turned out to, the vehicle that the polling party comprising of a Presiding Officer and three polling personnel accompanied by the police personnel comprising of a constable and a homeguard hailed, was registered in the name of Madhumita Paul, wife of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and a contesting candidate from Patharkandi, Krishnendu Paul.
The incident created a furore and the Congress even threatened to boycott the elections following the second phase of polling ended in Assam after a video showing electronic voting machines (EVMs) being transported in the vehicle of BJP MLA Krishnendu Paul surfaced.
. #EVM Fraud is for everyone to see.
EVMs found in the car of BJP MLA candidate Krishnedru Paul after the second phase of polling in Assam.
Does the #ECI needs #BJP to carry the EVM’s.
If ECI doesn’t wake up even now & remains mute or complicit, it is fatal for democracy! pic.twitter.com/Rsn1dpzOeI
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) April 2, 2021
Launching a scathing attack on the EC and the BJP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi today: “EC की गाड़ी ख़राब, भाजपा की नीयत ख़राब, लोकतंत्र की हालत ख़राब!” ( EC’s car is bad, BJP’s intentions are bad, The condition of democracy is bad!).</>
EC की गाड़ी ख़राब,
भाजपा की नीयत ख़राब,
लोकतंत्र की हालत ख़राब!#EVMs— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 2, 2021
Clarifying on the delay in the issue of the clarification on the incident, the EC claimed that this happened because the first polling officer was missing until the wee hours of the morning of April 2, 2021 as he was hiding in the undergrowth nearby and a search operation was being conducted all night. “This delayed the transmission of this report by a few hours,” it claimed.
The EC termed yesterday’s incident as “unfortunate” and stated that in this regard, the Presiding Officer was issued show cause notice for violation of the transport protocol and thereafter, he and 3 other officials were placed under suspension. The Commission today announced a re-poll at No. 149- Indira M.V. School of LAC 1 Ratabari(SC) as added precaution.However it claimed that even as on examination, the polled EVM comprising of BU, CU and VVPAT was found to be with its seal intact without any damage whatsoever, and that all the items had been deposited in the strong room. “A report has also been sought from the Special Observer,’ it informed.
Offering details, the EC said the polling party after completion of polls at 6 pm was returning in a convoy escorted by an armed escort led by the Police Sector Officer ABSI Luhit Gohain. The weather on April 1 was inclement and was raining heavily in the later hours of the day leading to the roads being muddy.
“NH8 is the only artery road leading into Karimganj from remote areas of the district. Since it was poll day and poll closes at 1800 hrs, about 1300 vehicles were returning on the single highway, as all polling parties return to Karimganj from 1800 Hrs. onwards. Combined with the inclement weather, this had led to an unprecedented traffic congestion on the highway.
“As the above mentioned polling party was approaching NilamBazaar, the vehicle which had been allotted by the transport cell of election branch, DC office, to the party carrying the polling party broke down at about 2100 hrs on 01 April 2021. Due to the traffic congestion and the prevailing weather condition, the party became detached from its convoy. The party alighted from the vehicle and called the Sector Officer Ajoy Sutradhar on his mobile and informed him. While the sector officer was arranging for an alternate vehicle, polling party decided to arrange a vehicle of its own so as to reach the Material Receipt Centre faster since they were in custody of polled EVMs.
“At about 2120 hrs, the polling party hailed a passing vehicle and boarded it along with their EVM and other things without checking the ownership of the vehicle bearing the number AS-10B-0022.As reported by the polling party, they moved towards Karimganj and as they reached Kanaishil in Karimganj at about 2200 hrs, they had to slow down in the traffic. As they slowed down, they were surrounded by a mob of about 50 people which started pelting stones at them. The mob also started abusing them and did not allow the vehicle to pass. When they asked the leader of the mob, he replied that it was the vehicle of Krishnendu Paul who is a contesting candidate of a neighbouring constituency (Patharkandi LAC-2) and he levelled allegations that the EVM was being taken to be tampered with.
“It was only then that they realised that something was amiss and alerted the Sector Officer. However, a larger crowd had gathered by then and they were attacked and held hostage by a mob along with the EVM in the vehicle at 2145 hrs alleging that the EVM was being taken to be tampered with.
“Immediately after receiving information about the incident, DEO Karimganj along with SP Karimganj rushed to the spot and reached there at 2220 hrs. Also in the mean while, the antecedents of the vehicle were ascertained and it was found to be was registered in the name of Smti. Madhumita Paul, Wife of contesting candidate, Patharkandi LAC No 2, Shri Krishnendu Paul. On arrival at the spot, it was observed that the crowd was pulling out the polling party and were about to assault them. The mob had turned violent and had damaged the glass of the vehicle by stone pelting. During the course of the stone pelting, SP Karimganj sustained minor injuries on his collarbone and blank firing had to be resorted to disperse the mob. The first polling officer was found missing in the commotion, the EVM’s and the remaining polling party along were safely escorted from the area and taken into the control of the DEO at 2320 hrs.”
– global bihari bureau
