EC orders repoll in Assam’s Ratabari after reviews of EVMs in BJP candidate’s car

The Election Commission (EC) has ordered a repoll for a polling station in the Ratabari Assembly seat of Assam after reviews emerged late final night time of an EVM being transported in a non-public automobile belonging to a BJP candidate.

Acknowledging that there was once a “violation of transport protocol,” the Commission, in a press announcement launched Friday morning, stated that it has issued a show-cause observation to the Presiding Officer and additionally suspended him alongside three different officers for the lapse.
The EC’s selection comes in opposition to the backdrop of the controversy that broke out closing night time after a team of human beings intercepted a vehicle in the Karimganj district carrying an EVM used for vote casting in Polling Station 149 Indira M.V. School.

Once movies of this incident surfaced on social media, the ballot panel referred to as a document from the Assam Chief Electoral Officer and its accepted observer in the state. According to the Commission’s factual report, the automobile in which the polling celebration used to be transporting the EVM had damaged down on its way to the study room. The polling party made up of the Presiding Officer and three different officers, then hitched a trip in a non-public automobile besides checking its possession details.

The EC declaration similarly says that the officers realized their mistake solely after the auto was once intercepted through a team of 50 humans close to Kanaishil in Karimganj.“The mob moreover started out abusing them and did now not allow the auto to pass. When they requested the chief of the mob, he answered that it used to be the car of Sri Krishnendu Paul who is a contesting candidate of a neighboring constituency (Patharkandi LAC-2) and he leveled allegations that the EVM was once being taken to be tampered with,” states EC’s release.

The polling celebration was once held hostage for nearly an hour by way of the mob until the DEO and SP of Karimganj arrived at the spot. Of the 4 officers in the car, one had long gone lacking and was once observed by using a search birthday celebration hiding in the undergrowth close by solely this morning.“On examination, the polled EVM comprising of BU, CU, and VVPAT changed as soon as found to be with its seal intact besides any damage whatsoever. All the objects have been deposited in the sturdy room,” says EC’s statement

All 4 officers of the polling birthday party have been positioned underneath suspension for breaching EC’s transport protocol.