BJP delegation meets CEC, alleges discrepancies in Goa voters list

New Delhi, Jan 16 (UNI) The BJP today urged the Election Commission to grant a month's time to it to identify bogus voters from the voters list being prepared for the May-June 2007 elections to Goa Assembly.

A party delegation headed by Goa BJP president Shreepad Naik and Leader of the Opposition in Goa assembly Manohar Parikkar handed over a petition to the Chief Election Commissioner in which they pointed out that even a small addition of 500 bogus voters could affect the election as average number of voters per assembly in the state was around 25,000. ''Unless such bogus voters were deleted the elections would not be fair,'' it added.

They said they had approached to Commission only after finding ''discrepancies'' in the voters list and, therefore, they should be permitted to identify the bogus voters in the presence of EC observers.

They alleged that there were ''systematic efforts'' by the ruling parties and some candidates to register voters from neighbouring states of Karnataka and Maharashtra into electoral rolls.

The delegation also wanted certain officials, close to the ruling party, to be transferred to ensure free and fair poll and said the BJP was ready to identify such officials with ''necessary proof''.

Besides, several ad-hoc appointments were being made in many government departments ''to lure the voters'', they alleged.

UNI