EC suspends 20 poll personnel for April 29 incident in Munger

PATNA: The Election Commission on Monday suspended 20 polling personnel deployed in two polling booths of Lakhisarai assembly segment under the Munger Lok Sabha constituency following complaint of poll rigging during the fourth round of elections on April 29.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Bihar, H S Srinivasa said the disciplinary action against the polling personnel was initiated after the preliminary report of the district magistrate-cum-returning officer of Munger, who prima facie found the allegations true against the polling team.
In addition, the CEO said instructions have been issued to the officials concerned to lodge an FIR against 10 personnel, whose laxity led to the thrashing of the crew members of Times Now TV news channel when the latter tried to cover the bogus voting in the two polling booths. “The process to arrest the accused is already underway,” Srinivasa told reporters here.
Those put under suspension include presiding officers, polling officers, polling magistrate and the police personnel who were deputed in polling booth numbers (339 and 340) at Ghoghsa Middle School. “The EC will not spare anyone involved in such malpractices,” he added.
The EC had earlier ordered repoll in the two polling booths on Monday. There was no report of any disturbances during the repoll, the CEO said, adding all precautionary measures have been taken to prevent recurrence of such malpractices.
The EC initiated disciplinary action after a video showing an attempt to capture booths and rig the polls was submitted to it. Times Now state bureau chief Shyam Sunder Sushovit and videographer Saurabh Kumar were assaulted allegedly by the supporters of JD(U) nominee from Munger, Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh.
When asked about the involvement of the JD(U) candidate, the CEO said so far no evidence was found against him. The victims had also lodged a complaint with the commission, which ordered an inquiry into the whole incident.
In Munger, the JD(U) nominee is locked in a tough contest with Congress’s Neelam Devi, the wife of don-turned-MLA from Mokama, Anant Singh.