EC suspended the presiding officer and four others and ordered re-polling at the polling station no 149 under Ratabari (SC) assembly segment after an EVM was found in a BJP candidate’s wife’s vehicle
TFM Desk
Three people were arrested in connection with the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) found in a BJP candidate wife’s vehicle in Karimganj District of Assam on Thursday night, officials said on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Karimganj DM Anbamuthan MP (Repeat Anbamuthan MP) ordered the magisterial inquiry and entrusted Additional District Magistrate Rajeshan Terang for the probe and submit the report within three days.
The police also arrested three people for attacking the private car in which the polling personnel along the polled EVM were travelling after the completion of the second phase of polling on Thursday.
Three more people are also detained for questioning.
Two separate FIRs were also lodged with the police by the driver of the private car and polling personnel.
The Election Commission on Friday suspended the presiding officer, three other polling officials and an armed escort official and ordered re-polling at the Polling Station no 149 in Indira MV School under Ratabari (SC) assembly constituency after an EVM was found in a BJP candidate’s wife’s vehicle on Thursday night.
“Although the seals of the EVM were found intact, it has nevertheless been decided to do a re-poll at the Indira M.V. School polling station as an added precautionary measure,” the EC in a statement said on Friday.
The statement had said that after the official car carrying the polled EVM machine to Karimganj broke down, the officials boarded a passing private car which was subsequently surrounded by a mob of about 50 people who started pelting stones at them.The mob at Kanaishil (under Karimganj district) alleged that the EVM was being taken to be tampered with. The private car was owned by the wife of BJP candidate of the neighbouring Patharkandi constituency, Krishnendu Paul. The statement added that due to heavy rains on Thursday night, the roads were muddy due to which the official car of the polling personnel broke down, following which they boarded a private vehicle along with the EVM and other materials without checking the ownership of the car.