Achi news desk-
GUWAHATI: An FIR has been lodged and a legal inquiry has been initiated against three poll workers in Assam’s Tinsukia district for allegedly issuing extra ballot papers during the house polling.
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Tinsukia District Commissioner Swapnil Paul said the accused staff were tasked to monitor the home voting through postal ballots in Dumdoma assembly segment under Khimpur Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday.
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A team of three surveyors, accompanied by a videographer and two policemen, was sent for this purpose in the morning hours, according to a press release he published.
Until this evening, the polling team reported that they had successfully conducted the polling process for 14 eligible voters according to the list.
"However, upon submission of the cast postal ballots along with the booklet containing postal cards and unused postal ballots, it was found that 16 ballot boxes were used for the 14 voters." said in the release.
When asked about the discrepancy, the three polling staff explained that family members of an 88-year-old voter objected to the polling procedure and requested an additional ballot for him.
Also, family members of another 86-year-old voter in the vicinity also demanded it, the official said.
Bowing to public pressure and fearing for their safety, the poll workers issued additional ballots to the two men, the statement said.
"In light of the serious breach of duty, since issuing postal ballots twice to a single voter constitutes serious negligence and may amount to acts of corruption, a lawsuit was filed against the staff on Saturday," It is loaded.
A state inquiry, led by Khimpur Lok Sabha constituency assistant Javed Armaan, has been launched, while the poll workers involved have been relieved of all election duties with immediate effect.
Apart from that, the announcement states, the departments from which the polling staff were deployed were notified and instructed to start departmental procedures.
Lakhimpur is scheduled to vote in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19.
