Congress today approached the Election Commission requesting it not to post government officials having allegiance to RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, Sri Ram Sena and other similar organisations on election duty, raising doubts about their ability to conduct impartial polls.
In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath, Congress's Legal Department secretary K C Mittal noted that officials having allegiance to RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, Ram Sena and other similar organisations and holding positions in various capacities in state governments, particularly states which are ruled by BJP, are being appointed as presiding officers at different polling stations. "Such officials are incapable of conducting impartial and proper poll since they are affiliated to a particular political party having the same background and affiliation.
"By Giving such an onerous responsibility to the officers whose mindset is prejudiced and bias, no fair and proper elections can be conducted under their supervision or with their involvement and assistance," Mittal said in the letter.
He said that the party has already brought to the notice of the poll watchdog the manner in which the photo voter slips are being "manipulated" by BJP with the help of such officials to secure vote in favour of their candidates. "It must have come to your notice that a Block Development Officer (BDO), acting as the presiding officer, took all EVMs to his residence and tampered them which is a very grave and serious danger to fair poll... It needs to be thoroughly checked. "In order to prevent tampering of EVMs and to ensure that the presiding officer act fairly and genuinely, it is essential that the officials having allegiance to RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, Ram Sena and other similar organisations should not be posted at the polling stations for supervision, conduct or in manner assist or involve in the conduct of the polling in various polling booths," he said.
The party urged the EC to consider the matter with "utmost urgency" and issue necessary instructions to all the concerned authorities in the states in which polling is due.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}