TURA, Feb 26 � With the clamour for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit set to restart, the FKJGP team of Phulbari unearthed a massive finding in Phulbari. The finding pointed to the presence of dual voters (people who have voting rights in two states with voter IDs) in the region with one even becoming the General Secretary of a VEC!
The FKJGP submitted a memo the office of the DC, WGH, Pravin Bakshi, with their findings as well as provided details to the press. According to the submission, there were plenty of dual voters who were residing in the state and benefiting from the use of their Ids in both states,
Bappun Sangma, the AGS of FKJGP said, �We have been shouting about the presence of dual voters in the region for a long time. Unfortunately, no one heard or wanted to hear about it. We now have proof of this illegality and will push for an investigation into the matter as well as jailing of those taking the law for a ride�.
One Khabirul Islam Mondal has a Meghalaya EPIC ID of FTB0646141 and an Assam EPIC ID of GCL1260293. His wife Jinnatara Mondal has a Meghalaya EPIC ID of FTB0646190 and an Assam EPIC ID of GCL1260306. Similarly, another Shahjahan Mondal has FTB0669861 as his Meghalaya ID and GCL1260475 as his Assam one. Khabirul has recently been appointed as the secretary of the Nimaikata village VEC.
Treepon Sangma, the President of FKJGP, Phulbari said, �This is just the tip of the iceberg and we are unravelling more from the information we have�.
Stating that their limited knowledge of Assamese led to them not being able to find more, Bappun felt that there were more than 2000 people in the Phulbari constituency itself who had dual voting rights.
Meanwhile, the GS of Anti Corruption League (ACL) in New Bhaitbari, Mostapha Kabir, joined in the chorus. He said, �We too have been affected as our lands are now being illegally occupied by these same people. When floods displace them, they move into Meghalaya and have not gone back, even getting new EPIC IDs, without submitting their old one. You can see this all along the plain belt and the original community has now been displaced.
The example of Lalmati, a village near Hallidayganj was put to point. About seven years ago, there were only about 90 households in the village. Now there are more than 2000 households, mostly from neighbouring Assam. All of them have voting rights in Meghalaya and a little research would show they have Assam IDs as well.
�There has to be definitive and strong action against these people who are taking advantage of the system. If such things are allowed to continue the situation may just go beyond control. They have illegally managed to get a job card, Election ID and other residential documents, while also exercising the same franchise in Assam� said Bappun.
