Apathy of urban, young voters in Maharashtra matter of concern: CEC Rajiv Kumar
Mumbai (PTI): Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Saturday expressed concern over the "apathy" of urban and young voters in Maharashtra, and said efforts are being made to ensure maximum polling in the coming assembly elections in the state.
Speaking at a press conference here after reviewing poll preparedness, CEC Kumar informed that strict instructions have been given to the administration that officers who have completed three years in their posting should be transferred immediately.
The CEC, who wrapped up the poll body's two-day visit to the state, also warned that fake news during the polls will be dealt with sternly.
Besides disclosing in their affidavits, candidates have to prominently declare criminal cases they are facing, if any, thrice in newspapers in print as well on television, he said, adding that political parties too have to publish within three days of nomination why a candidate with criminal background was selected.
"You (political parties) have to tell the public whether you did not get any (other) candidate and why was it necessary to select them (those with criminal background)," he said.
The CEC informed that webcasting of proceedings will be done at a minimum of 50 percent of booths -- 100 per cent in urban areas and at more than 50 per cent booths in rural areas.
"We are committed to provide free, fair, inducement-free, accessible and inclusive elections at every stage. We will make all efforts sincerely to provide absolutely level-playing field," he said.
Talking about the voter apathy witnessed in urban areas of the state, the CEC pointed out that Colaba in south Mumbai (40 per cent voting), Pune Cantonment (43 per cent), Mumbadevi and Kurla in Mumbai (44 per cent) and Kalyan near Mumbai (41 per cent) were the areas which recorded among the lowest voter turnout in the Lok Sabha polls this year.
"Urban apathy and youth apathy is a big issue in certain parts of Maharashtra," Kumar said, adding that political parties made a demand that polling should be held in the middle of a week so that people do not club polling days with the weekend and treat it as an extended holiday.
"It (urban apathy) does not behove well," he further said, and cited, in comparison, voting figures of Doda (72 per cent), Riyasi (74), Poonch (74) in Jammu and Kashmir, and Left-Wing Extremist-affected areas like Bastar (68 per cent) and Gadchiroli (73 per cent).
"If Gadchiroli (in eastern Maharashtra) can poll 73 per cent, then polling in Colaba, Kalyan and Pune can also rise," the CEC added.
All parties wanted the Election Commission to keep Diwali and Chhath celebrations in mind while scheduling the elections, he said.
Efforts are being taken to ensure that there is maximum enrolment and voting in Maharashtra assembly elections, Kumar said, adding that if any name is yet to be enrolled, it can be done even now.
On transfer of officials, the CEC said the poll body made it clear to the Maharashtra Chief Secretary and Director General of Police that those who have completed three years must be transferred.
"There can be no disagreement on this. We are not reconsidering this. Everybody must be transferred," he said.
"We have asked Maharashtra Government to shift officials who have served in their home district or current posting for over three years," Kumar said, adding he has asked for a compliance report in the next couple of days.
About the Opposition Congress demanding transfer of Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla to ensure free and fair polls, he said individual complaints are not discussed in press conferences, but the poll body will go through the process rigorously and take decision.
Daily wage earners and others in the unorganised sector should be informed by the administration that voting day will be a paid holiday for them, he said.
There will be checking of all helicopters (during electioneering) to ensure inducement-free elections, he said.
Kumar warned that those spreading fake news and using deep fake technology on social media (to spread wrong or misleading information about elections or candidates) will be dealt with sternly.
"I am confident Maharashtra will contribute to the ensuing festival of democracy," Kumar said.
"We met all the stakeholders, including political parties and officials during our stay in Mumbai, he added.
To a question about whether the Maharashtra elections will be held in a single phase or multiple phases, he said, "You will come to know that later."
There will be 1,00,186 polling booths in the assembly elections of which 42,585 would be in urban areas and 57,601 in rural parts. As many as 350 booths will be managed only by the youth --- those who have recently joined government service, while there will be 388 booths will all-women staff.
During the visit to the state, the Election Commission met leaders of 11 parties -- BJP, BSP, AAP, CPI (M), Congress, MNS, SP, Shiv Sena (UBT), Shiv Sena, NCP and NCP (SP), Kumar said.
Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were also present at the press conference.
The term of the current 288-member Maharashtra assembly will come to an end on November 26.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Jharkhand horror: Man kills live-in partner, chops body into 40 pieces
Ranchi (PTI): A 25-year-old man, who works as a butcher, allegedly strangled to death his live-in partner and chopped her body into 40 to 50 pieces in a forested area in Jharkhand’s Khunti district, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Naresh Bhengra, was arrested.
The matter came to light after around a fortnight after the killing when a stray dog was found with human body parts near Jordag village in Jariagarh police station on November 24.
Bhengra was in a live-in relationship with the deceased, a 24-year-old woman also from Khunti district, in Tamil Nadu for the past couple of years. Sometime back, he returned to Jharkhand, got married to another woman without telling his partner anything and went back to the southern state without his wife to join her.
"The brutal incident occurred on November 8 when they reached Khunti as the accused who had married another woman did not wish to take her home. Instead, he took her to a forest near his house at Jordag village in Jariagarh police station and chopped the body into pieces. The man has been arrested," Khunti Superintendent of Police Aman Kumar told PTI.
Inspector Ashok Singh who investigated the case said the man worked in a butcher shop in Tamil Nadu and was expert in slicing chicken.
“He admitted chopping the body parts of the woman into 40 to 50 pieces before leaving those in the forest for wild animals to feast on. The police recovered several parts on November 24 after a dog in the area was seen with a hand," Singh told PTI.
Singh said that the woman, who was unaware of his marriage, pressured him to return to Khunti. After reaching Ranchi, they boarded a train on November 24 and headed to the man's village.
"Under a plan, the man took her to Khunti in an autorickshaw near his home and asked her to wait. He returned with sharp weapons and strangulated her with her dupatta after raping her. He then cut the body into 40 to 50 pieces and left for his home to live with his wife," Singh said.
The woman, however, had informed her mother that she had boarded a train and would be living with her partner, the police officer said.
Following the recovery of body parts, a bag was also found in the forest with the murdered woman's belongings including her Aadhaar card. The mother of the woman was called at the spot and she identified her daughter's belongings.
"The mother suspected the man behind the crime who after being nabbed by the police admitted to chopping the woman into pieces," the official added.
The incident has sent shockwaves among people in the region, with the Shraddha Walker murder case of 2022 still fresh in their memory.
Walker was killed by her live-in partner who chopped her body into pieces before dumping them in the jungle in South Delhi’s Mehrauli.
