The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Yogendra Yadav from Gurgaon was on Wednesday served a show-cause notice by Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) Sohna (Gurgaon) Vivek Kalia for operating political offices at two places- Sohna and Tauru without any requisite permission. Yadav has been asked to explain as to why action should not be taken against him for violation of Code of Conduct.
In the show cause notice, ARO Sohna Vivek Kalia has stated that the Flying Squad Sohna during its inspection conducted twice, on 31st March and 2nd April, of AAP Party Office at Sohna. The Squad found that the political office of AAP party was running without any permission as the incumbent present there could not produce the documents when demanded by it.
Similarly, the political office of AAP Party at Pataudi Road Tauru in District Mewat did not have the requisite permissions. The Flying Squad Tauru inspected the AAP office on 2nd April during which the representatives present there failed to produce documents to the satisfaction of the Flying Squad. Running a political office without requisite permission is violation of Model Code of Conduct of the Election Commission of India(ECI).
FIR against 3 Booth level Officers in Haryana
After the sting operation shown on a TV news channel on Tuesday late evening, the District Election Officer, Gurgaon Shekhar Vidyarthi on Wednesday got FIRs registered against all the three Booth level Officers.
The sting allegedly showed them to have taken bribe for preparing fake votes. Besides lodging FIRs, Vidyarthi has also recommended disciplinary action against them to their parent departments. The Police have taken them into custody.
The three BlOs accused of malpractice include Ashok Kumar, BlO of Booth Number 83 in laxman Vihar, Karan Singh BlO of Booth Number 86 in the same colony and Mahesh Kumar BlO of Booth Number 3 in Mianwali colony. All three of them have been booked under Sections 32 and 134 of Representative of People’s Act 1950, 1951 in Civil lines Police Station.
All Form-6 applications (required for inclusion of names in the Electoral Rolls) collected by these accused BlOs have been taken into custody and District Election Office has initiated further inquiry to ascertain facts. The work of distribution of voters’ slips has also been withdrawn from these BlOs and it has been assigned to another officials. The Chief Election Officer Haryana Srikant Walgad and Election Commission of India have also been intimated about the action taken. There is provision of imprisonment of 3 months to 2 years with fine for breach in election duty under the RPA Act.
Election agents in Haryana
Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Shrikant Walgad said that any Minister, sitting MP, sitting MlA or MlC, Mayor of a Corporation or Chairperson of Municipality or Zila Parishad or Panchayat Union will not be allowed to act as Election Agent, Polling Agent or Counting Agent of any candidate during lok Sabha Elections 2014.
He said that a person who has been provided security would also not be appointed as Election Agent, Polling Agent or Counting Agent for any party at Polling Stations. He said that carrying of any kind of weapon has been prohibited in an area of 100 metres from the Polling Station. The contesting candidate could appoint a person who is voter from same booth as polling agent.
On the polling day, one vehicle each has been permitted for the contesting candidate, his agent and his worker which would not carry more than five persons in each vehicle. On the polling day, vehicles of Government employees, permitted political parties, senior citizens, ambulances and public transportation would be permitted. He said that vehicles would also be permitted for pre planned programmes like marriages, but such vehicles would not be used for political motives in any case otherwise it would be violation of Model Code of Conduct.
Ambala DEO takes serious note of power theft
District Electoral Officer, Ambala Saket Kumar has taken a serious note of the news regarding power theft during the public meeting of State President, BJP Ram Vilas Sharma and cited it as violation of Model Code of Conduct of Elections. Saket Kumar has directed the officials of Power Department and those connected with the election work to immediately investigate the matter and submit a report.