Noted Right to Information (RTI) and social activist from the State capital Ajay Dube has levelled serious allegations against Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of MP Jaideep Govind.
Overlooking at the rules and regulations, Govind has appointed Deputy Collector Ruhi Khan as a State-level nodal officer for information technology in his office.
Dube in an e-mail to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) - Election Commission of India (ECI) VS Sampath on Tuesday said, “I would like to draw your attention to the MP Government’s violation of Model Code of Conduct for free and fair election in the coming lok Sabha election. The ECI has issued instruction to conduct free and fair election but the district Collectors, who are acting as district election officers are out for the victory of influential candidates. All these violations are taking place in the full knowledge of Govind but he is not taking any cognisance of it.”
Dube said that the returning officer and collector of Sehore Kavindra Kiyawat and Collector of Chhindwara Mahesh Choudhary have appointed retired deputy collectors Badkul and MM Singh respectively as nodal officer for election work in Sehore and Chhindwara.
Both Badkul and Singh are presently working as district manager of public service centre on contractual basis.
It is sheer violation of standard norms.
Dube said, “I would like to inform you that in the last Assembly election, the ECI had dismissed the report of Kiyawat regarding the use of postal ballots. Kiyawat should be removed with immediate effect because he is favoring the ruling party by adopting unlawful practices.”
He said similarly, Choudhary was also suspended by the ECI in last general election for negligence of election duty in the district Harda. Choudhary should also be kept away from the election process because he is favoring the ruling party by adopting unlawful practices.
He said earlier, the State Government had appointed deputy collector CP Nigam as a State-level nodal officer for information technology in the office of MP CEO after the approval of the Cabinet and ECI. However, Ruhi Khan, appointed by Govind is functioning on the post. Khan should be removed because she is supporting ruling party, Dube alleged.
Dube, also member of Transparency International urged the CEC to take action urgently to ensure conducting of free and fair election.