Election Commission announces re-election in 4 polling booths in Assam
“Election Commission of India announces re-polling on 20th April at 4 polling stations in Ratabari, Sonai and Haflong, Assembly constituencies in Assam,” notified ECI on Saturday.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced a re-polling at four polling stations in Assam’s Ratabari, Sonai, and Haflong assembly constituencies on April 20.
“Election Commission of India announces re-polling on 20th April at 4 polling stations in Ratabari, Sonai and Haflong, Assembly constituencies in Assam,” notified ECI on Saturday.
“The Commission declares void, the votes cast at these stations on April 1st,” the statement said.
The Commission decided to do a re-polling in Ratabari’s No. 149- Indira MV School of LAC 1 polling station on April 2, after an electronic voting machine (EVM) was found in a car belonging to a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate.
"Although the seals of the EVM were found intact, it has nevertheless been decided to do a re-poll at No. 149- Indira M.V. School of LAC 1 Ratabari (SC) as an added precaution. A report has also been sought from the Special Observer," ECI said in a statement.
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In the polling booth set up in 107(A) Khotlir LP School, an auxiliary polling station, under the Haflong assembly constituency, 181 total votes were cast even though it had 90 eligible voters. The presiding officer and the first polling officer admitted, in a statement given to the ECI, that they had allowed voters who were registered at the main polling station, Mouldam LP School, to cast their votes in the auxiliary polling station. Re-polling has been ordered in both booths.
“As per the valid electoral roll, there are only 90 electors in this polling station...total 181 votes were cast at polling station No 107-A on April 1, 2021," chief electoral officer Nitin Khade had said in a statement.
Re-polling has also been ordered in Sonai constituency’s 463 Madhya Dhanehori LP School polling booth which voted on April 1. Because of a firing incident on election day, three individuals were injured, following which the state’s deputy speaker and BJP candidate Aminul Haque Laskar was questioned by the police and five police personnel attached to him were suspended.
All three constituencies went to the polls in the second phase of the Assam assembly elections on April 1, which saw a turnout of 80.96 per cent.