A TV channel on Monday claimed to have unearthed in a sting operation large-scale fraud relating to purchase of voter identity cards in Punjab.
NEW DELHI: A TV channel on Monday claimed to have unearthed in a sting operation large-scale fraud relating to purchase of voter identity cards in Punjab.
Touts acting on the behalf of candidates in the elections have been buying voter ID cards that are up for sale for as little as Rs 1,000, Star News said.
The TV channel claimed candidates desirous of being elected are purchasing ID cards from poor voters who they fear may vote against them.
Hidden cameras captured images of agents in three Assembly segments -- Ferozepur, Jalalabad and Gurusahai -- who allegedly worked for politicians and helped them buy voter ID cards from poor and willing voters.
The TV channel claimed to have trapped one such agent, who went by the name of Iqbal and procured for it three voter ID cards for Rs 3,000.
According to the release, the Election Commission has taken cognizance of the news report and promised a thorough investigation into the revelations.
Election office denies sale
The Punjab Election Office has denied reports of sale and purchase of voter identity cards in Ferozepur district.
A major crackdown was launched in Ferozepur district to identify and nab the guilty, but not a single case came to light, an Election Office spokesman said.
He said there are two villages named Kathgarh falling in Jallalabad and Guru Har Sahai. Both the villages were "subjected to 100 per cent check of all the Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs)" in a survey conducted by senior officers but no evidence of sale of cards surfaced, he said.
Similar checking operations were conducted in 16 assembly constituencies spread in the districts of Ferozepur, Moga, Hoshiarpur, Muktsar, Bhatinda, and Nawanshahr besides several areas in Ludhiana district, but no such case came out as the cards were in possession of their rightful owners, he said.
The spokesman said that district election officer of Ferozepur, who is also local Deputy Commissioner, has offered a reward to anyone who provides any information, which can lead to the arrest of the guilty.
In order to avoid any mischief, instructions have been issued to all DCs to continue checking, remain vigilant and publicise through all possible means that any attempt at purchasing EPIC cards is an electoral offence and will be dealt with severely, he said.
){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}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}