Jharkhand: EC Forms Separate Team To Investigate Unexpected Rise In Voters Of Particular Class

The BJP submitted a 500-page complaint regarding the hike in the number of voters of a particular class in the Santhal Pargana, demanding a stringent investigation at the earliest.

Ranchi:The Election Commission (EC) has decided to take cognisance after receiving a 500-page complaint from the BJP regarding unexpected increase in the number of voters of a particular class in several parts of Jharkhand including the Santhal Pargana.

The EO office instructed the District Commissioners of the concerned districts to take up the matter for investigation. The EC has also formed a separate team to look into the case. Preliminary investigation has already begun in Sahibganj after receiving the complaint, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K Ravi Kumar said.

The EC office said that it has already summoned the report from DCs of the Sahibganj and Pakur districts but it is yet to come. The CEO said that in this regard, he has given guidelines from his level to all the DCs of the state through video conferencing. Also, they have been asked to investigate the matter and submit the report immediately.

The BJP had been continuously raising this issue, expressing displeasure over the unexpected increase in the number of voters of a particular class at multiple booths in the border districts of Santhal Pargana, adjacent to Bangladesh.

Along with this, the saffron party also alleged that the names of several Bangladeshi infiltrators were included in the voter list on the basis of fake certificates, thus requesting the EC to investigate the matter.

The complaint submitted to the EC contained detailed information of the concerned polling stations after which the constitutional body, that is empowered to conduct free and fair elections in India took up the matter for strict investigation.