Election Commission of India (ECI) had to defer tour of its officials slated to visit the State and take firsthand account from Congress' Badkagaon MlA Nirmala Devi on the controversial CD issue, supposedly carrying evidence related to 'house-trading' taken place in the Rajya Sabha poll.
The team as per the plan had to tour Ranchi on Saturday but since the MlA expressed her inability to appear before the Commission it is still unclear when the meeting could happen next.
"I got a call from the Election Commission tomorrow evening (Thursday) about the meeting. They said that the team is willing to interact on the issue with me and I had to register my statement before them. But since I have received a fracture in my leg which has deteriorated even further, I told them that it would not be possible for me appear before the officials," Nirmala Devi told The Pioneer over phone when contacted to know the reason behind her refusal.
A senior official of the Election Commission in Ranchi also confirmed that the team was to visit in that regard but following the reluctance shown the MlA its status was unclear.
The MlA had come into limelight after JVM supremo Babulal Marandi, while releasing a CD allegedly containing evidences of 'horse trading' during Rajya Sabha election in the State in July, claimed the involvement of top politicians and Government officials. Nirmala Devi's husband and former MlA Yogender Sao was shown in the CD and also in the conversations apparently discussing ways to make his wife abstain from voting.
later the JVM had taken the matter before the ECI seeking further investigation which resulted into the development. Notably, the MlA who sidestepped the inquiry process on the health grounds was seen proactively participating in the ongoing protests at Badkagaon against the NTPC coal project, got detained there by the police and taken to camp jail along with other leaders even on Thursday.
"I have sought time of a week or so. It is not possible to appear before that right now. I don't know when they would come again," said Nirmala. However regardless of the role played by her husband in the entire controversy she pledged for her innocence.
"Whenever I would appear before the ECI, I would say that there was no role of mine into the issue. I had nothing to do with all this. I was a warrantee and thus on the run," added the MlA.
On the other hand, the Election Commission had also reportedly asked from the Chief Secretary office for a report on the issue by Friday but OSD in the office lalit Mohan Shukla denied having any information in this regard.