New Delhi: The Election Commission on Sunday appointed former deputy poll panel chief Vinod Zutshi as the Special Observer for the elections in Assandh constituency in Haryana after a video went viral in social media.
In the video, the BJP candidate from Assandh, Mr Bakshish Singh Virk, was seen threatening voters that they will know easily who has voted for them and who has not through the EVMs. “Wherever you may vote, it will register with flower (BJP symbol). Whichever button you may press, the vote will go only to BJP. We have fitted a chip in the EVMs”.
The Election Commission has not made it clear whether it has issued any notice to Mr Virk for making such threats to voters and claims against the sanctity of the EVM. However, it said that Mr Zutshi has been appointed to keep an eye against harassment of voters and that there is no fear against voting.
“Mr Zutshi has been requested to proceed immediately to the constituency to take necessary corrective action and ensure free, fair and peaceful election,” the Election Commission said.
Former IAS officer Mr Zutshi has earlier worked as Chief Electoral Officer of Rajasthan and in ECI for seven years in various capacities.
Meanwhile, the latest data from ECI shows that 25,606 of the 99,807 overseas Indians who had registered as voters flew down to India to exercise their franchise in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
