NEW DELHI, March 9 � Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) have called for deployment of security personnel in polling booth to prevent rigging and capturing.
At an all-party meeting convened by the Election Commission of India to explain and discuss the new election rules and code of conduct, AGP represented by Kumar Deepak Das, opined that to prevent boot capturing and rigging, at least five-six security personnel should be deployed in the booths.
BPF�s representative and its Lok Sabha MP, S K Bwiswmutiary supported the AGP and suggested that arrangements should be made to ensure presence of at least five-six armed security personnel in the polling booth to prevent its capturing and voter intimidation.
�Our past experience has shown that only two-three lathi wielding cops are deployed in polling booths, which does not help much,� Bwiswmutiary later told this newspaper.
Meanwhile, both the regional parties of Assam also wanted adequate security for its candidates during the campaign period and election. Bwiswmutiary suggested that each and every candidate should be provided with personal security cover.
Kumar Deepak Das further raised objection to lack of EC�s control over the media owned by the political parties. While EC has rules to check paid news, it has no control over the media channels and newspapers owned by political parties.
The media owned by the political parties are used as an additional tool in the election campaign, which is not available to others, Das complained.
The AGP was supported by Trinamool Congress, which was represented by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dinesh Trivedi on the issue. The ruling Left Front in West Bengal and Kerala owns newspapers and TV channels.
Das later told this newspaper that the EC has taken note of the objection and said they would look into it.
The AGP also wanted the EC to make arrangements for video recording facilities at polling booths during polling. Das stated that some of the polling booths in Bodoland areas recorded 90-100 per cent polling, yet there were complains of non-Bodos not being allowed to cast their vote. Video recording in such cases would help the EC to know the correct picture, he opined.
He also wanted the EC to sensitise the State Government staffers about the Election Conduct rules because the ruling Party sometime takes advantage.
Bwiswmutiary, meanwhile, urged the Commission to take steps to curb use of money and muscle power during the polls.
