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Liquor, grocery, gadgets - candidates' wishlist for voters
Amid allegations of candidates using illegal means to woo voters for the municipal corporation elections, police on Tuesday seized 180 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor and country liquor from here. Five people were arrested and booked in four cases. All accused are natives of the city. Police sources claimed that the liquor bottles were to be used during the election campaigning.
Amid allegations of candidates using illegal means to woo voters for the municipal corporation elections, police on Tuesday seized 180 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor and country liquor from here.
Five people were arrested and booked in four cases. All accused are natives of the city. Police sources claimed that the liquor bottles were to be used during the election campaigning.
Information gathered from Karnal and Panipat has shown that several candidates are allegedly distributing liquor, grocery items and electronic gadgets to influence voters. More than 20 candidates with sound financial background either themselves or their members of family are contesting the elections in Karnal and Panipat.
Though the state election commission is keeping an eye on the expenditure incurred during the campaigning, some of the candidates are issuing paper slips to voters, directing them to buy household items from particular grocery stores free of cost. Air conditioners, LCDs and electronic gadgets have allegedly been provided to voters in slums and other localities.
Karnal deputy commissioner (DC) Renu S Phulia said she was in the know of things but no case could be registered as the paper slips did not carry any name of a candidate.
Chander Shekhar and RS Verma, the returning officers (RO) for Karnal and Panipat, respectively, said they had not received any written complaint against any candidate. "Some cases of suspected paid news have been brought to our notice. Small-scale newspapers have promoted candidates under the garb of interviews. We are investigating such occurrences," Shekhar said.
37 candidates in dock
Yamunanagar municipal corporation commissioner K Makrand Pandurang on Wednesday ordered registration of criminal cases against 37 candidates for defacing public properties during campaigning in the city.
