1.48 pc J-K voters opt for NOTA against 0.38 pc in Haryana
New Delhi, Oct 8: More voters in Jammu and Kashmir used the NOTA button against those in Haryana, latest Election Commission data shows.
In elections to the 90-member Haryana assembly, out of over two crore electors, 67.90 per cent had exercised their franchise. Out of these, 0.38 per cent used the none of the above (NOTA) option on the voting machine.
In the three-phased Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls to 90 seats, 63.88 per cent of the total electorate voted. Out of these, 1.48 per cent opted for the NOTA option.
According to trends, not more than two per cent of the voters have opted for the NOTA option, indicating continued reluctance of electors in choosing the option.
Introduced in 2013, the NOTA option on electronic voting machines has its own symbol — a ballot paper with a black cross across it.
After the Supreme Court order in September 2013, EC added the NOTA button on the EVMs as the last option on the voting panel. Before the apex court order, those not inclined to vote for any candidate had the option of filling what is popularly called form 49-O.
But filling out the form at the polling station under Rule 49-O of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, compromised the secrecy of the voter. The Supreme Court had, however, refused to direct the EC to hold fresh polls if the majority of the electorate exercised the NOTA option while voting.
Recently, former chief election commissioner O P Rawat had said, "In the present situation, NOTA has only symbolic significance and it cannot have an impact on the election result of any seat."
"More than 50 per cent electors will have to once opt for NOTA in a seat to show the political community that they do not consider candidates with criminal background or other undeserving ones worthy of their votes. Only after this, pressure on Parliament and the Election Commission will increase and they will have to think about changing laws to make NOTA effective on the election results," he had said.
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'Low-quality' catheters supplied to West Bengal govt hospitals at high price, probe ordered
Kolkata (PTI): The West Bengal health department has launched a probe into the supplies of allegedly low-quality and locally made catheters at a high price to several government hospitals, posing a risk to the lives of patients undergoing treatment in these facilities, officials said.
Such central venous catheters (CVCs) were allegedly supplied to at least five medical colleges and hospitals in the state, defying allocation of international standard-compliant CVCs, they said.
The distribution company, which has been accused of supplying these catheters to government hospitals, admitted to the fault but placed the blame on its employees.
"We started checking stocks some time back and found these locally made CVCs in my hospital store. These catheters are of low quality as compared to those allocated by the state. We have informed the state health department," a senior official of the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital told PTI.
Low-quality catheters were also found in the stores of other hospitals, which indicates "possible involvement of insiders in the scam", a health department official said.
The low-quality CVCs were supplied by a distributor in the Hatibagan area in the northern part of Kolkata for the last three to four months, he said.
"Such kinds of local CVCs are priced around Rs 1,500 but the distributor took Rs 4,177 for each device," the official said.
A CVC is a thin and flexible tube that is inserted into a vein to allow for the administration of fluids, blood, and other treatment. It's also clinically called a central line catheter.
"An initial probe revealed that the distribution company Prakash Surgical had supplied the low-quality and locally manufactured catheters to several government hospitals instead of the CVCs of the government-designated international company.
"All the units will be tested and a proper investigation is on to find out who benefited from these supplies," the health department official said.
The distribution company blamed its employees for the supply of inferior quality catheters.
"I was sick for a few months. Some employees of the organisation made this mistake. We are taking back all those units that have gone to the hospitals. It's all about misunderstanding," an official of the distribution company told PTI.
According to another state health department official, a complaint was lodged with the police in this connection.
Asked about how many patients were affected by the usage of such low-quality CVCs, the official said, "The probe would also try to find that out".
According to sources in the health department, some of the staff of the hospitals' equipment receiving departments and some local officials of international organisations might be involved in the alleged irregularities.
