Bengaluru: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar has warned candidates contesting the forthcoming State Assembly elections against inducing voters. “Strict actions will be taken against such candidates with immediate effect and directions have been given to officials in this connection,” he said while speaking to the media about the preparations that are being done with regard to State Assembly elections on Saturday.
“It is a big challenge to prevent the use of money to lure voters in Karnataka elections. To prevent, it is not necessary to wait for the announcements of election dates. The authorities have been given full powers to initiate legal action in such cases,” said the CEC.
Stating that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is fully prepared to ensure a free and fair election, the CEC said that stringent action against will be taken against officials who are accused of working in a partisan manner.
“We have reviewed the preparations. The election time-table including the dates of voting and the number of phases will be announced after a meeting to be held in New Delhi,” the CEC said while replying to a query.
Persons who are aged above 80 years, specially abled and those suffering from serious diseases will be given the opportunity to vote from their home in this election. Even the political parties have given their consent to this, concluded the CEC.
Election Commissioners Anoop Chandra Pande, Arun Goel and State Election Commissioner Manoj Kumar Meena were present at the press meet.
Money movement will be keenly observed. Vehicles transporting cash to Banks and ATMs will be barred from operating after 5 pm. We are also keeping a vigil on withdrawals of large amount and purchase of domestic equipment in large numbers. For the first time, those who are above 80 years and specially abled will be provided facility to vote from their home. Within 5 days of the notification of Election time-table, Form 12D will be made available and those who want to vote should fill this Form and submit the same to the authorities concerned. This will enable those above 80 years of age and specially abled persons can exercise their voting rights from their home. — Rajiv Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner
““Strict actions will be taken against such candidates with immediate effect and directions have been given to officials in this connection,”
Is this a joke or what? Who will vote now a days without taking money? Maybe few people vote without money, but majority of Indian people are corrupt.
This person himself is in the pocket of the BJP.
Over the decades, there has been no fair elections.
Voters, despite the indelible ink, which can be removed with a good solvent, are impersonated, and during the days of ballot papers, after the completion of votes in polling stations and ballot boxes were moved to a so called secured place, they were switched by alternate ballot boxes containing votes which made a candidate win by a huge margin. To do this , bribes were paid to all top election officials and police officers.
When secure banking data bases can be hacked and money stolen, it is a piece of cake, to manipulate the votes after they were electronically cast , and before they are counted.
No election in India is fair.