Prohibitory orders in place after Jankar supporters say they will conduct ‘repoll’ with ballots
A section of the village, having allegiance to Jankar, has claimed they are not satisfied with the number of votes their leaders got from the village
Supporters of newly elected Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MLA Uttam Jankar from Markadwadi under the Malshiras assembly constituency of Solapur district are firm on holding a re-poll using ballot papers on Tuesday even as the administration has issued prohibitory orders. The police too have increased their presence in the village with arrangements made to prevent any such exercise by prohibiting assembly of people.
A section of the village, having allegiance to Jankar, has claimed they are not satisfied with the number of votes their leaders got from the village. The supporters cast doubt about the EVM and sought a re-poll in their village through ballot paper by urging the Election Commission. Another section of the village, however, has opposed any re-polling.
As the returning officer rejected the demand citing no such provision in the rule, Jankar supporters announced they would conduct the re-polling exercise themselves even as it has no constitutional validity, or such a move isn’t legally tenable for changing the actual poll outcome announced on November 23 by the Election Commission.
In the assembly polls, Jankar defeated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Ram Satpute by over 13,000 votes. From Markadwadi village, Jankar polled 843 votes while Satpute got 1,003 votes. Jankar’s votes, according to his supporters, were far less in the assembly polls compared to the recently held Lok Sabha election when NCP (SP) nominee Dhairyasheel Mohite got 1021 votes compared to 466 to Satpute who lost the polls.
The sharp difference in the votes their leader got promoted Markadwadi supporters to write to the Solapur district electoral officer seeking re-election. However, the Malshiras sub-divisional magistrate Vijaya Pangarkar, who was a returning officer during the election, rejected the application saying the entire polling and counting process was already over and the villagers could not be given permission for re-polling.
{{/usCountry}}The sharp difference in the votes their leader got promoted Markadwadi supporters to write to the Solapur district electoral officer seeking re-election. However, the Malshiras sub-divisional magistrate Vijaya Pangarkar, who was a returning officer during the election, rejected the application saying the entire polling and counting process was already over and the villagers could not be given permission for re-polling.
{{/usCountry}}However, the villagers expressed firmness to go ahead with the process on Tuesday and have made arrangements on their own. The villagers have put up banners claiming a “repoll” will be held on December 3
{{/usCountry}}However, the villagers expressed firmness to go ahead with the process on Tuesday and have made arrangements on their own. The villagers have put up banners claiming a “repoll” will be held on December 3
{{/usCountry}}“The village has groups having allegiance to rival political parties and one of the groups has opposed the entire process. If one group goes ahead with the polling exercise while another group opposes it, it can lead to law-and-order issues. To avoid this, I have recommended imposition of section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (prohibiting individuals to abstain from certain acts),” order from Pangarkar stated. Accordingly, the prohibitory orders have been imposed from December 2 to 5 to avoid any conflict between groups due to this “repoll” plan.
{{/usCountry}}“The village has groups having allegiance to rival political parties and one of the groups has opposed the entire process. If one group goes ahead with the polling exercise while another group opposes it, it can lead to law-and-order issues. To avoid this, I have recommended imposition of section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (prohibiting individuals to abstain from certain acts),” order from Pangarkar stated. Accordingly, the prohibitory orders have been imposed from December 2 to 5 to avoid any conflict between groups due to this “repoll” plan.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier on Monday evening, Jankar arrived in the village and supported the section of villagers wanting to conduct a polling exercise. “The police are threatening villagers with the use of force. Let the police open fire but villagers will go ahead and complete the polling exercise,” said Jankar.
Meanwhile, the opposing section also held a meeting on Monday saying there is no need for any polling exercise. “We trust the poll outcome and there is no need for re-polling. It is just a handful of villagers who want such exercise,” said another villager.
The mock repoll comes amid the opposition casting doubts on electronic voting machines following the Mahayuti’s massive victory in the November 20 assembly polls.
The Mahayuti won 230 of the state’s 288 seats, with BJP emerging victorious on 132, followed by Shiv Sena on 57 and Ajit Pawar’s NCP on 41. The Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) managed to get just 46 seats
