Those Not On Assam Citizen List Can Vote If Name On Rolls: Election Panel
NEW DELHI: Those left out of a draft list of citizens in Assam "need not worry" for now, they can vote if their name is on the electoral rolls, India's top election officer said on Wednesday.
There is a massive political controversy after the new list or National Register of Citizens (NRC) excluded 4 million people from Assam in a drive against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The ruling BJP has been accused of targeting these people for political reasons.
"Those left out of the Assam citizen's list can vote if their names are in the voter's list. The Election Commission will publish a voter list in January and will not wait for the final NRC," Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat told NDTV.
Political sparring has peaked ahead of a string of state elections and the national polls in 2019.
The draft National Register of Citizens is the result of a years-long agitation by residents of Assam demanding expulsion of immigrants from Bangladesh just over the border.
Exclusions from the list released on Monday have given ammunition to opposition parties to band together against the government.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday warned against "civil war and bloodbath".
courtesy : ndtv.com
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
