MP: LoP Govind Singh demands inquiry on allegations against Balaghat District Election Officer of opening postal ballots before counting of votes
Nov 28, 2023
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], November 28 : Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Govind Singh on Tuesday demanded an inquiry in connection with allegations against Balaghat District Election Officer of opening postal ballots before the counting of votes.
"The way open ballot papers were found in Balaghat district, it should be investigated," Singh told reporters here.
Earlier on Monday, a Congress delegation led by party election-in-charge JP Dhanopia lodged a complaint with the State Election Commission, accusing the Balaghat District Election Officer of opening postal ballot votes before the counting day on December 3.
"There is a collusion between District Election Officer Girish Kumar Mishra and the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA in Balaghat. Our candidate and supporters reached the spot and made this video. Earlier, our state president Kamal Nath had feared such irregularities. We have complained today and have been assured of action after investigation," Madhya Pradesh Congress Election-in-charge JP Dhanopia said speaking to ANI on Monday.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Singh further claimed that the irregularities regarding postal ballots came to light in the entire state and alleged that it was being done at the behest of state chief secretary Iqbal Singh Bains.
"The irregularities regarding postal ballots have come to light in the entire state. In Bhind and Morena districts, even postal ballot votes were not kept safe. About 60 to 70 per cent of government employees could not cast their votes in the said districts. All this is happening at the behest of Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains," Singh said.
He also demanded the removal of Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains alleging that if he (Bains) remained then the counting of votes would not be fair in the state on December 3.
"If CS Iqbal Singh Bains remains, then the counting of votes will not be fair in the state. I have written a letter earlier and today also I will write a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI) that Iqbal Singh Bains should be removed," the Congress leader added.
The tenure of CS Bains is going to conclude on November 30. Nonetheless, Bains received two six-month extensions and both were granted by the central government at the request of the state government.
Voting in the state for 230 assembly seats concluded on November 17 and the counting of votes would take place on December 3.
