Bhopal: The suspected tampering of postal ballots in Balaghat district resulted in the suspension of Sub-Divisional Magistrate Gopal Kumar Soni, the assembly seat’s returning officer, on Wednesday. Earlier, on Tuesday, Tehsildar Himmat Singh, also the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO), faced suspension over similar allegations.
MP Chief Election Commissioner Anupam Rajan stated, “Prima facie, a reactive error occurred, and a detailed report has been sent to the ECI for necessary action.”
Digvijaya Singh, a senior Congress leader, accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of gross rule violations. He called for the immediate suspension and transfer of the District Collector and the Returning Officer of Postal Ballot, holding them responsible.
Other Congress leaders, including Dr. Govind Singh and PCC chief Kamal Nath, raised concerns about unfair practices by election officials. Nath emphasized that tampering with the ballot or opening it before the designated timeline is a serious offense.
Alleging a government attempt to conceal the matter, Nath asserted, “The people know about them (officials) and they are under the radar.”
The Congress launched multiple attacks on Tuesday after a video surfaced, purportedly showing the sorting of postal ballot papers inside a strong room before the allotted 3 pm timeline in Balaghat district.
Shafkat Khan, a local Congress leader, raised an alarm on Monday, observing the strong room’s early opening and active paperwork sorting before the designated time. The incident prompted concerns about the integrity of the electoral process and raised questions about the actions of election officials in Balaghat.
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