The senior Congress leader expressed resentment over the fiasco and told the media that he would file a case in this regard.
(Photo: iStock)
The first phase of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) polls in Himachal Pradesh today was marred with allegations of irregularities after the name of senior Congress leader and former minister Sudhir Sharma was found missing from the voters’ list.
Sharma had gone to cast his vote in Rakkar panchayat in Dharamshala in Kangra district, but his name was missing from the voters’ list.
The senior Congress leader expressed resentment over the fiasco and told the media that he would file a case in this regard. HP Congress chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore said the party had been raising the issue of alleged manipulation of the voters’ lists in the state for PRIs elections and that the issue had been brought to the notice of the State Election Commission.
Advertisement
“We have raised the issue of rigging in the PRIs elections as the state government has changed the reservation roster to benefit BJP backed candidates. There are several instances where the names of several voters have been cut off from voters’ list by the state government to gain political advantage and now the case of senior Congress leader has come to our notice,” Rathore told The Statesman.
Rathore said the state Congress will bring the matter to the notice of the State Election Commission and that they will decide the future course of action over such irregularities in the coming days.
HP’s State Electoral Officer Sanjeev Mahajan said an inquiry will be ordered into the matter. He said 77 per cent voting was recorded overall in the first of the three-phase PRIs polls in the state, with polling for 1,227 panchayats held today. The counting of votes for ward members, panchayat pradhan and up-pradhan was being conducted after completion of voting today while the counting of votes for panchayat samitis and Zila Parishad members will be held on 22 January.
The polling for the remaining two phases of the PRIs polls in the state will be held on 19 and 21 January.
Advertisement
