dec 20th
so this is the reason behind the marxists' success in west bengal. it really isn't that they have turned the place into a worker's paradise, on the contrary, they have destroyed its industrial base.
when you vote marxists in, it truly is 'one man, one vote, one time'.
you vote them in once, and that's the end of your democracy as they pervert it totally.
=====================
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=84196
What they didn't want you to see: EC on how Left 'rigs' Bengal polls
From using a 'strong scent' to mark out voters to planting dummies to
slow down voting in Opp bastions: EC observer Amanullah's report on
2004 polls in Bengal could become a manual for next year's election
SANTWANA BHATTACHARYA
Posted online: Sunday, December 18, 2005 at 0119 hours IST
NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 17: The Election Commission has kept it a top
secret—a 10-page report by its Special Observer Afzal Amanullah on
what he calls "organised rigging" by "a particular political party"
during the 2004 Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal. The reference clearly
is to the CPM-led Left Front. Despite a PIL, despite strident demands
by the Opposition, the report has never been made public. Not without
reason.
For, the report, key excerpts of which have been accessed by The
Sunday Express, could re-open the entire debate on free and fair
elections in West Bengal, the only state in the country where the
ruling party has been winning elections for over 25 years.
So startling are Amanullah's findings that given the Assembly
elections in Bengal early next year and its Bihar precedent, the EC
will find it very difficult not to wipe the dust off this report—and
act on it.
Following are Amanullah's key findings and the recommendations:
THE STINK
• To detect exactly whether a vote is being cast in favour of a
particular party a "strong scent" is put by a loyal voter on the
party's key in the electronic voting machine when he goes to cast his
vote. Everyone who votes after him and chooses the same key has the
"scent" transferred to his/her figure besides the indelible ink — the
official mark of adult franchise. This ensures tracking of who voted
for whom.
• A particular party (an apparent reference to the CPM) "traditionally
jams the booths'' to ''discourage'' genuine unattached voters from
voting.
THE SABOTAGE
• In Opposition strongholds, short of booth-capturing, the voting
process is "slowed down" by deliberately planting voters in the line
whose records are suspect. This is done to hold up the queue and bring
down the voting percentage.
• Another disruptive method: strategically placing persons in the
queue who are "challenged voters" (those who either don't have their
names on the electoral list or the correct identity proof) at regular
intervals.
• EC's recommendation: these voters should be isolated and not allowed
to delay the process which "has to take place at normal speed.''
Who is Afzal Amanullah?
A senior Bihar cadre IAS officer, Afzal Amanullah was appointed EC's
Special Observer in the widely applauded October 2003 J-K Assembly
elections by CEC J M Lyngdoh. He was sent to West Bengal as Special
Observer in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections and subsequently Special
Observer for the Haryana Assembly elections this year. He is now with
the I&B Ministry.
CPM says: 'Why should we care? It's all rubbish'
• Ashok Bhattacharya, minister for urban development and an
influential CPM leader from north Bengal: "Who is Amanullah now? He is
no longer EC observer. Why should we care for what he has submitted in
its report? It's all rubbish.''
• Chief Electoral Officer Debashis Sen: "I have not seen Amanullah's
report, I can't comment. Maybe I will be able to tell you something
once it comes in your newspaper."
THE FUDGE
• On ''padding and manipulation'' of the state's electoral rolls,
Amanullah claims people have no access to rolls. Prominent public
display of rolls are required so that voters can object to
''deletion'' and ''revision.''
• He suggests that EC officials should have mobile phones and these
numbers should be made public so that anyone can call in with
complaints.
• In each and every polling booth, Amanullah found that local party
workers are given the task of ensuring deletion of a limited
(pre-determined) number of votes, minimum 40. Thereafter, if a hue and
cry is raised, some deleted names are restored, but never all of them.
THE BIAS
• Even polling booths, the report states, are chosen to benefit
certain groups. He suggests that the EC needs to ''look at all the
booths in the whole of the state,'' including the inside of the
polling booth where the voting compartment is placed. Secrecy of
polling cannot be maintained unless ''polling compartments'' are put
''away from windows'' or places from where a voter's choice is
visible.
• Home Guards not in "active service for five years, should not be
called for election duty.'' Such persons can be put under constraints
as they are involved in party work.
THE STOOGE
• Citing unionisation of the non-IPS police force, Amanullah says that
as 90% of the unions in West Bengal owe allegiance to a particular
political party, these people cannot be allocated election duty.
• Citing the same reason, Amanullah advises against using "primary and
secondary school teachers from West Bengal.''
THE PRESCRIPTION
• He recommends that polling should not take place unless Central
paramilitary forces reach or are posted in every polling booth.
• Polling agents of all major political parties should be present
inside the booth (so that agents are not intimidated).
• Patrolling parties should have a logbook signed by presiding
officers to ensure they actually do the "physical check" of the
booths. Dry rations for patrolling parties and polling staff should be
the norm to avoid ''lunchtime rigging''.
• Polling parties should be sent only a day in advance and superiors
sent to check on the kind of "hospitality" the state is providing
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
No comments:
Post a Comment