Poll body deploying BLOs who ‘can’t read or write’, says Aaditya
Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said some booth-level officers (BLOs), who are "unable to read or write", were tasked with gathering information about voters in Mumbai, and alleged multiple entries of voters in the draft list.
Addressing a press conference, the former minister said that his party had filed 3,000 to 4,000 objections in each of the 227 civic wards of Mumbai.
He said that Sena (UBT) office-bearers and frontal organisations have been scanning the draft voters' lists, looking for irregularities.
Thackeray claimed that the draft voters' lists had 14 lakh voters, with multiple entries, most of whom are "Marathi, political workers and public representatives of the Opposition parties".
He further accused the state election commission of sending BLOs who cannot read or write to gather and verify information about voters.
"Those who cannot read or write are visiting people's homes as BLOs. You (poll body) are sending people who do not even know how to write or read," he said.
Demanding the suspension of officials heading poll bodies, Thackeray said the Election Commission has turned into a circus.
He cited instances of voters with multiple entries, claiming Sena (UBT) MLC Sunil Shinde's name figured seven times in the draft list with different ages, addresses and photos, while former Mumbai mayor Shraddha Jadhav's name came up eight times in the voters' list.
The names of Congress MLA Jyoti Gaikwad and Mumbai South Central MP Anil Desai also figured multiple times in the draft list, he said.
Thackeray also alleged that every poll booth has names of deceased voters, and this is despite their families submitting their death certificates.
Polls to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the richest civic body in the country, are slated to be held early next month.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
