SEC deleted voters’ names at behest of Gujarat govt, alleges Congress

Gujarat Congress today alleged that thousands of voters in Ahmedabad could not exercise their franchise for the municipal polls held today as their names were deliberately removed from the list by the State Election Commission (SEC) at the behest of BJP-led Gujarat government.

Alleging that “removal” of voters’ names was part of a “larger conspiracy”, Congress called for a thorough probe into it, even as the ruling BJP said the government or the party had no role preparation of voting lists.

Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki claimed that 1,000 to 4,000 names in each of the 48 wards of the city were deleted from the final electoral rolls by the SEC without informing the voters or candidates.

The Congress leader claimed that when voters reached the booths, they began to complain that they found their names deleted without any prior information.

“We learnt that around 1,000 to 4,000 names in each ward were deleted from the final list in the city. Not just city, it has happened across the state today. When we raised this issue with election officials, they refused to give any answer,” Solanki alleged in a press conference.

He claimed that majority of the voters, whose names were deleted, belong to the Patel community.

“Since this community has turned against the ruling BJP (after the quota agitation), the SEC has deleted these anti-BJP voters across the city as well as state. We demand that all such voters be allowed to cast their votes,” said Solanki.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/sec-deleted-voters-names-at-behest-of-guj-govt-alleges-cong-115112200602_1.html