Assam: Mahajot constituents urge CEC to ensure ‘impartial’ vote counting process
A delegation of the ten-party “Grand Alliance” (Mahajot) on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India to take up specific measures to maintain “transparency and impartiality” for fair and smooth counting of votes in connection with the recently concluded Assam Assembly elections.
The Congress-led Opposition alliance urged the CEC to direct all deputy commissioners, sub-divisional officers (civil) and returning officers of Assam to furnish the table-wise details of officials to be engaged in the counting of votes on May 2 to all the contesting candidates.
The alliance urged the CEC to ensure video recording of all the counting tables on May 2 and EVM carrying process from the strong-room to counting hall.
“The authorised agents of the contesting candidates may be allowed to be in front of the door of the sitting room after it is opened and till the counting process is over,” the memorandum to the CEC read.
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The Mahajot parties urged the CEC to issue directions to all returning officers to count the postal ballots.
“Ballots should be collected from homes of the absentee voters and election duty certificates before counting of EVMs taken up. The names and details of the officials detailed for issue, receipt and collection of such postal ballot papers, ballots from home etc. should be furnished to all the contesting candidates,” the memorandum mentioned.
A delegation from the Congress, CPI (M), CPI, AIUDF, Anchalik Gana Morcha and other constituents of the Mahajot met the additional chief electoral officer of Assam at Janata Bhawan here for submission of the memorandum to the CEC.
The alliance representatives further requested the CEC to issue directions to the returning officer to furnish the information regarding the number of postal ballots issued in the constituency, date of issue of postal ballots, numbers of postal ballot received so far, number of absentee voters in the constituency, number of votes cast by absentee voters, number of election duty certificates issued and number of election duty certificates received.
“Directions should be issued to all returning officers that unless one round is finished and recorded in writing, the next round of machines cannot be opened for counting,” the memorandum read.
(Edited by Ibankyntiew Mawrie)
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