BJP urges EC to ensure free and fair polls in Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar, Apr 23: Alleging

attempt to forge and manipulate postal ballots,

on Wednesday demanded the

to ensure that forged and false postal ballot papers are rejected during counting of votes.

The party has also demanded proper surveillance and strict monitoring of all the strong rooms in the state.

"The Congress is making desperate attempt to forge and manipulate postal ballot votes in favour of its candidates and resorting to sabotage the counting process," the party alleged in a statement.

"It is shocking and surprising that a Congress worker, from Hapoli assembly constituency, who was subsequently arrested, in Lower Subansiri district had collected postal ballot papers by producing forged identity card and submitted in favour of the party candidate from the constituency" the statement said.

Many more such incidents of malpractice have been reported from entire state, it claimed. The party also criticized the Election Commission for allegedly playing the role of a mute spectator to the happenings as not a single complaint lodged by the party has been responded by the Commission.

The party doubted whether the Commission was committed to ensuring free and fair election to uphold the spirit of parliamentary democracy. The party demanded the Commission to intervene in the matter and order necessary inquiry into the alleged bogus, forgery and manipulations in postal ballot voting process and bring those culprits involved to book.

PTI