NCP (SP) member Prashant Jagtap’s EVM re-check on hold, district office seeks EC nod due to pending HC plea

PUNE: The district election office has sought guidance from the chief electoral office on whether NCP (SP) member Prashant Jagtap can participate in the upcoming EVM re-verification process since his election petition is pending in Bombay high court.

Jagtap, who contested from Hadapsar, and Sachin Dhodke from Khadakwasla, were scheduled for EVM memory and microcontroller verification between July 25 and Aug 2. Dhodke's application is being processed.

District collector Jitendra Dudi told TOI that the process for Jagtap will proceed only after a clear directive from the chief electoral office.

ECI norms state that candidates with pending election petitions are ineligible for EVM verification. The chief electoral office has written to ECI seeking clarification in Jagtap's case.

He told TOI that a communication from the district election office is awaited. "Since my petition challenging the election process is in the high court, I've been informed that the verification cannot go ahead until further orders," he said.

The district election office has informed him that a final call will be taken after the chief electoral office's reply.

Dudi clarified that a video posted by Jagtap on social media was misleading and not in accordance with ECI process. "The ECI's standard operating procedure does not allow counting of VVPAT slips. Only the vote count on the control unit will be displayed," he added.

Five of the 11 candidates from Pune district who applied for EVM verification withdrew. Of the remaining, five had election petitions and one was dismissed. Only Jagtap and Dhodke remained eligible until the former's petition posed a hurdle.

Poll officials said 29 EVM sets will be verified and candidates have paid Rs 13.68 lakh (Rs 47,200 per polling station) as fees.