Bhubaneswar: BJP Puri Lok Sabha candidate Dr Sambit Patra has expressed deep shock over the missing of EVM control units (CUs) from Booth No 62 under Brahma-giri Assembly Constituency (AC).
“I am extremely saddened by this kind of unsc-rupulous means adopted by BJD in collusion with administrative officials to murder the spirit of democracy! Just Imagine EVM control unit goes missing from the stro-ng room!! EC should take note of such blatant wrongdoings,” Dr Patra tweeted on Sunday.
Polls were held in Puri on April 23. The control units record all the votes polled.
Dr Patra is likely to lodge a formal complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha, soon.
“I have tweeted about the development today. I’m exploring the possibility to lodge a formal complaint with the CEO,” Dr Patra told this newspaper on Sunday.
Odisha Chief Electoral Officer Surendra Kumar had on Saturday admitted that a control unit from booth no 62 under Brahmagiri Assembly Constituency (AC) was ‘missing.’
Addressing mediapersons, Mr Kumar informed that the particular control unit was not kept in the specified strong room and there were lapses on part of the official who received the EVMs. There are 12 strong rooms and the control unit could be in another strong room.
“The EVMs were received and kept in strong room after the third phase polls on April 23. But the particular control unit was not kept in the specified strong room,” said Dr Kumar.
The matter was brought to the notice of Election Commission (EC) after getting information from Puri district Collector.
“Recommendation for fresh poll at the booth was already intimated to the EC on April 24,” the Chief Electoral Officer informed.
Moreover, re-polls in 10 booths including— two booths under Brahmagiri AC, four booths under Athagarh Assembly constituency and one booth each under Badamba, Debagarh, Satyabadi and Talcher have also been recommended to the Election Commission by local officials.
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