Cong to EC: Remove micro-observers from counting duty for Vijaypur bypoll

Bhopal: State Congress has complained to the Election Commission (EC) and demanded the removal of Rawat and Meena caste officials from the counting centre of Vijaypur by-election. The state Congress EC affairs in-charge J P Dhanopia has complained to the chief electoral officer (CEO) and demanded the removal of officials and micro-observers belonging to BJP candidate Ram Niwas Rawat's caste (Rawat belongs to the Meena community) from the counting centre on counting day scheduled for Nov 23."Our candidate Mukesh Malhotra has complained that 32 micro-observers have been appointed for counting centre in Vijaypur for Nov 23, out of which 25 belong to the Rawat and Meena communities," Dhanopia alleged. "This means that these 25 micro-observers are either relatives or belong to the same caste as the BJP candidate. We hope that the EC commission takes appropriate action in the matter. It is not an exemplary situation when officials hailing from the same caste as the ruling party candidate's is posted and democracy murdered," he added.Speaking to TOI, CEO for Madhya Pradesh Sukhveer Singh said on Monday, "A complaint has been received. The district electoral officer has been instructed to act as per the rules laid down by the EC."Dhanopia argued that after the completion of polling for Vijaypur assembly by-election on Nov 13, the counting is scheduled for November 23. The Congress alleged that district electoral officer and district collector Sheopur Kishor Kanyal has been "working at the behest of BJP candidate and forest minister Ram Niwas Rawat."A state Congress release said that the collector has appointed 32 micro- observers for vote counting in Vijaypur, out of which 25 are from the same caste including some relatives of Ram Niwas Rawat. The remaining seven are employees who are in personal contact with him. "This makes it clear that similar unfair activities will take place on vote counting day as well," Dhanopia said. He argued that voting day saw a lot of complaints from voters and violence.He said that Congress candidate for Vijaypur constituency bypoll Mukesh Malhotra has expressed distrust towards the 32 micro-observers and has demanded their immediate removal from duty on the counting day. The list of these micro-observers include Pukhraj Meena, Sanjay Kumar Meena, Rakesh Kumar Meena, Vijendra Kumar Meena, Jaldhari Meena, Rajesh Kumar Meena, Rahul Chaudhary, Ajay Kumar Meena, Anil Pratap Singh, Abhishek Meena, Avneet Kumar, Akash Agarwal, Omshiv Meena, Kapoor Singh, Krishna Kumar Meena , Govind Singh Meena, Tinku Meena, Deepak Prajapati, Devnarayan Meena, Devesh Kumar, Dharmendra Singh Meena, Narendra Singh, Pawan Meena, Manish Kumar Meena, Manoj Kumar Sharma, Mayank Gupta, Rajesh Dixit, Ramnaresh Yadav, Rambharat Meena, Lokesh Meena, Ravindra Kumar Meena and Mohit Srivastava.Dhanopia said that all the 32 micro-observers appointed for the counting of votes for Vijaypur by-election should be changed and non-partisan officers should be deployed so that the counting of votes can be completed impartially.
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