Display of EPIC cards 'unfair': Congress

Panaji, Jun 1 (UNI) The Goa Congress today described the decision of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to make mandatory display of EPIC cards by voters as ''unfair''.

Addressing a news conference here, party's state unit spokesman and Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik said there were 13 documents listed with the Election Commission, which can be shown as proof of identity before casting votes.

In other states, display of voter identity cards or EPIC cards are not mandatory, even if they have been issued to voters. Voters are allowed to cast their votes after showing ration cards, driving license or PAN cards, which are among the 13 listed documents.

''Why should an exception be made in Goa?'' he asked.

He said the Congress had appealed to the CEC to reconsider the order, but the appeal was turned down.

''As many as 40,000 voters are likely to be deprived of exercising their right to vote if this order is implemented. Even if voter cards had been issued more than a decade ago, there can be instances where voters have misplaced them,'' he said.

Mr Naik lamented that the CEC had not taken cognisance of the party's complaint that money was being distributed to lure voters.

''The CEC has admitted that money was playing a role,'' he said and added that there had been no response from the CEC on the Congress' complaint that the BJP had brought in Rs 10 crore to be distributed to voters on election eve.

Mr Naik described as ''highly objectionable'' decision of the BJP to create flying squads to keep a check on electoral malpractices.

''This is nothing but setting up a parrallel force to create law and order problem,'' he said.

Lashing out at former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, Mr Naik said, ''The statements and body language of Mr Parrikar shows that he is losing the battle in his constituency Panaji and Goa in general.

He has got so panicky that he is demanding para-millitary forces as if something drastic was going to happen.'' Mr Naik also appealed to the election office here to convene a meeting of all political parties to consider extending the polling time by an hour or so in view of the forecast of heavy rains in the state.

UNI