Stamped ballots recovered in 2 districts, BJP to move court

KOLKATA: Stamped ballots, carrying the presiding officer's signatures, were found scattered at places in West Midnapore and Purulia on Saturday, a day after Trinamool gained absolute control over 10 zilla parishads, fuelling Opposition protests at Goaltore and Puncha, demanding re-poll. BJP has decided to move court against the "electoral malpractice".
Worse, Kabita Das, a BJP gram panchayat candidate, a homemaker at Bagdubi village in Midnapore Sadar block, was made to do 300 sit-ups in front of the local Trinamool office as a "punishment" for daring to defy the ruling Trinamool."It happened in front of villagers, who were too scared to raise a voice against it," a Bagdubi villager said. But Trinamool's Midnapore president Ajit Maity denied any knowledge of the incident.
Tension brewed at Goaltore under Garbeta II Block since morning after BJP supporters recovered bunches of ballots, reportedly stamped in the party's favour, from the neighbouring Kerumari forest. All the yellow ballots meant for ZP election belonged to 86/2 Balibandh booth. BJP candidate Pashupati Deb Singha brandished the ballot papers in Goaltore market and staged a blockade, alleging malpractice. Sensing trouble, a police team arrived at the spot, but initially had to beat a hasty retreat after they were mobbed by BJP supporters. The blockade was lifted subsequently but the BJP has called a 12-hour bandh in Goaltore on Sunday. Deb Singha's Trinamool rival Kaberi Chatterjee denied the charge, flaunting the party-wise tally in the booth that went in favour of Trinamool. Sub-divisional officer Dinanarayan Ghosh said he was yet to receive a complaint. "We will look into the matter as soon as a complaint is lodged," the SDO said.
More than 1,000 ballots, ostensibly stamped in favour of the CPM zilla parishad candidate at Purulia's Puncha, were recovered a day after the results. "We fear that these ballots were smuggled out while the ballot boxes were being brought from the strongroom. The BDO in charge of the strongroom didn't call the registered parties while breaking the seal. Our candidate, Bipadtaran Sekhar, has written to the state election commission," said CPM's Purulia district secretary Pradip Roy, who also complained that counting supervisors were locked up in a room at Neturia and Kashipur villages while Trinamool goons manipulated the results. "In more than 1,000 polling booths, the counting tally doesn't match with the figures entered in Form 18. Our candidates didn't get the result sheet after the elections." CPM is also looking at legal options against the alleged malpractice. The district administration conceded that some ballots were found in Puncha but pointed out that an inquiry showed no irregularity about it.
The state BJP is taking a two-pronged legal step against the anomaly. "We have asked individual candidates to move the district court as provided in the West Bengal Panchayat Act. We are also collecting documents of the glaring counting anomaly and will move court separately," said BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu.