After the voting in the UP elections, now the politics has started regarding the counting of votes. Ahead of the counting of votes in Samajwadi Para Nsi, a controversy has escalated on Tuesday over three trucks carrying EVMs and Samajwadi Party workers protesting against it. OP Rajbhar, leader of the Samajwadi Party’s ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, has warned that till the DM and Commissioner of Varanasi are not removed, the counting of votes will not be allowed. He has complained about this to the Election Commission.
He told the media, “In the incident that happened in Varanasi, three vehicles came out with EVMs and two vehicles ran away and were covered with sacks. The guidelines of the Election Commission are that if any EVM comes out of the strong rooms, then the candidate should be given notice, the district president should get notice and it can be moved somewhere along with the force. But by not doing so, these incidents of theft of EVMs have happened. We have complained about that here.”
He said, “As long as the DM and the commissioner are there, justice, counting of votes cannot be done right. We will not allow the counting of votes until the DM and the commissioner are removed from there. The Election Commission has assured that alternative arrangements will be made.” However, Varanasi District Magistrate Kaushal Raj has said, “The EVMs caught by the SP workers were not electoral EVMs.”
On the other hand, the Superintendent of Police of Kanpur Dehat has warned that those who disturb the counting of votes and destroyers will be ordered to shoot directly. Said that the Election Commission has a clear instruction that if any anti-social element or any other person, irrespective of party, tries to molest, create disturbances, spread rumours, then strict action will be taken against him. Such people will be ordered to shoot at sight.
The Election Commission on Tuesday clarified that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were being taken away for training in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi without the notice of the candidates, which was stopped by some political people. Rumors were spread by saying EVMs were used in elections.
Earlier, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday evening alleged that the EVMs used in Varanasi were being transported by trucks. He claimed that one truck was stopped by the people but two trucks ran away. He alleged that this disturbance was done at the behest of the ruling BJP.
Meanwhile, the State Chief Electoral Officer’s office in a statement issued late on Tuesday said that it has been brought to the notice by some media channels that some Electronic Voting Machines were being carried in a vehicle in Varanasi today, on which political parties present there. Objections were raised by the representatives.