Contestant alleges malpractice in Ladakh LS polls

Rising Kashmir: Srinagar: Saturday, August 02, 2014.

Independent candidate for Ladakh parliamentary constituency, Ghulam Raza has complained to the Election Commission that a ‘large number of service votes’ cast in the constituency were ‘fake’ which resulted in his defeat in the elections by 36 votes.

In a written complaint filed with Chief Election Commissioner, it has been pointed out that the postal ballot papers’ which were counted as a vote were ‘fake’.

“Serious questions are cropping up over the authenticity of votes cast by the service electors through postal ballot in 4-Ladakh parliamentary constituency.”

Raza has informed that the Returning Officer 4-ladakh parliamentary constituency through the Right to Information (RTI) application provided the certified copies of form 2 and form 2-A in respect of the service voters and only 79 copies of form 2 and 2-A are available with the office of the District Election Registration office, Leh.

“It clearly indicates that all the entries in the service voters other than 79 entries seem to have been entered fraudulently. In the elections however out of the 1905 service votes, 834 votes have been declared as valid,” reads the complaint.

Raza says his defeat was engineered due to malpractices by the state and has sought inquiry into the matter. “Your intervention is sought in the matter on top priority for conducting a thorough inquiry into the matter.”

Raza has further demanded that “service votes cast through postal ballot in 4- Ladakh constituency be treated as null and void.”

The complaint further adds that the random cross-checking of the names of service voters indicate that the names of service electors also exist in the electoral rolls of their home village, polling station, and this is “apparent that they have cast the votes at the respective polling stations as well.’’

“It appears that the service voters have not followed proper procedure by way of filing of form 2 and 2-A and submission of declaration in the prescribed format to the effect,” the complaint adds.