E-Paper
SEC moots direct election
STATE ELECTION Commissioner Aparmita Prasad Singh on Sunday said, ?to check use of money and muscle power the election of Zila Panchayat Chairmen?s should be direct instead of indirect election?. Talking to the media persons, Singh said the family members and associates of zila panchayat members lodged complaints about kidnapping in various districts and also with the State Election Commission.
STATE ELECTION Commissioner Aparmita Prasad Singh on Sunday said, “to check use of money and muscle power the election of Zila Panchayat Chairmen’s should be direct instead of indirect election”. Talking to the media persons, Singh said the family members and associates of zila panchayat members lodged complaints about kidnapping in various districts and also with the State Election Commission.
In comparison to the gram pradhan, zila panchayat member and kshetra panchayat members’ election, zila panchayat chairmen’s election was the toughest. Except Barabanki, there was no report of any untoward incident during poll in the State.
“But horse-trading was the order of the day, as the candidates tried to lure members to their side. Since there are handful of voters it was not a difficult task for strong candidates to turn the tide in their favour”, he said.
Large numbers of zila panchayat members are missing was reported at Mahoba, Hamirpur, Basti etc. The number of voters was less in comparison to gram pradhan election, but the stake of the candidates was high, he said. To check malpractices, the Zila Panchayat Chairmen should be elected directly by the people, like gram pradhan, he said.
To check bogus voting, the State Election Commission amended the rule of providing an assistant to the illiterate voter. Earlier, a large number of voters had applied for assistants to help them in casting their votes. But after the rule was made tough, there was little demand for the assistant.
The politicking to secure victory in the election was from behind the curtain and not at the polling booths, Singh said. “Only one death at Barabanki was reported during the poll. Otherwise polling all over the State was peaceful.
District administration and police officials worked hard to ensure incident free poll. Officials of Bihar had contacted their counterpart in UP to get tips for holding peaceful election in Bihar”, he said.
Uncertainty over Barabanki result
UNCERTAINTY PREVAILED on Sunday over declaration of the zila panchayat chief’s election result. With the district administration holding back the official declaration, rumour-mongers had a field day.
On Saturday, BSP candidate Sheela Singh was said to have won the election by four votes, beating her SP rival. But, the district administration did not declare the result officially. Sources said the result would be announced on Monday. After the murder of former SP MLA Rawat during poll, the results of poll were withheld at the last minute.
According to sources, BSP candidate Shiela defeated her nearest rival SP candidate Dinesh Chandra by a margin of 4 votes. The District Magistrate requested the SEC to grant permission to announce the results. The permission was granted but the District Magistrate did not announce the results.
After murder of former SP MLA District Magistrate dispatched a report to the SEC. He asked SEC to issue order for the declaration of the result. Election Commissioner AP Singh said the SEC would take decision over the announcement of results on Monday.
Bahujan Samaj Party supporters gathered in large numbers outside the district magistrate’s residence in protest. There were reports of skirmishes when they tried to block the road. Policemen were deployed at many places in the city to avert any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, there was no breakthrough in the murder of former SP MLA Hardeo Rawat. According to reports, SP supporters had gone to bring a voter on Saturday. On reaching the spot, at Laxmanpuri Colony, they found that BSP men were already camping there. They, in turn, informed their leaders and Rawat was sent to the spot. Sources said he was accompanied by three gunners and partymen. When he reached the place, BSP men offered resistance.
In the sequence of events that followed, he was struck by a bullet, which caused his death. The role of three gunners is also under scrutiny. But, in the FIR lodged by his nephew, there is no mention of the gunners. Moreover, it mentioned only car, which could not have accommodated so many people.
Three BSP leaders, including former minister Sangram Singh, were arrested and sent to jail. Meanwhile, BSP workers alleged their leaders were ill treated in jail. Jail officials were tightlipped on the matter.
On the other hand, SP Party leaders faxed a demand for cancellation of the election to the State Election Commission.
In a letter, seven members said they were not able to cast their votes and complained of bogus voting. However, official records showed all 56 votes were polled.
Bahujan Samaj Party leaders complained to the State Election Commission about the district administration’s alleged partisan attitude. Meanwhile, mortal remains of Hardeo Rawat were consigned to flames at his ancestral village Sarsawan.
A large number of SP leaders, including ministers Rakesh Verma, Arvind Gope and C L Yadav, were present on the occasion.
Bahujan Samaj Partymen were sitting outside the DM’s residence, demanding declaration of the result.
