The State Congress in a complaint to the Election Commission (EC) alleged that the Khargone Collector Navneet Kothari was partial while conducting the Assembly election on November 25.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee Spokesman JP Dhanopia in a statement here on Tuesday alleged that Kothari, who was also the District Returning Officer, acted in a biased manner while conducting the election. He forwarded a complaint filed by Congress candidate Sunil Khande from Maheshwar Assembly constituency number 183, in Khargone District to the EC.
On earlier occasions also, complaints of being biased during elections have been registered against Kothari. However, no action was taken against him. Emboldened by this inaction, Kothari has again committed irregularities in the election work, he added. In his complaint, Dhanopia said that after the election the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were kept in the strong room; representatives of all other candidates except the Congress candidate were allowed in the strong room for the security of the EVM for two days. He said gross irregularities were also committed in the postal ballots, a voter of the polling booth number 81 Riyaz Hussain was denied of his voting right by saying that postal ballot has been issued in your name similar was the story of polling booth number 160 voter Kadwa.
The drivers and conductors of the school busses whose were assigned election duty were also denied of their voting rights. The senior Congress leader said that the vehicle of the candidate that was having permission for campaigning till November 23 was also prohibited by the Town Inspector of Karhi Police station with ill intents. Postal ballots were distributed to farmers and labourers also but no action was taken on these complaints, he added.
Demanding action against Kothari, he said that booth-wise poll percentage of the 230 booths was not provided after completion of voting.