Assam Election 2021: Major row after EVM found in BJP candidate’s car, 4 EC officials suspended

Assam Election 2021: The presence of an Electronic Voting Machine inside a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate’s car hours after polling concluded for the second phase in Assam has triggered a major row. The Election Commission today suspended four officials over the row. The commission also issued a factual report clarifying the issue. It all began after a video that surfaced on a social media platform allegedly showed an EVM in the car of Patharkandi BJP candidate Krishnendu Paul. The car was attacked and vandalised, as seen in the video and the situation remained tense in the area after the incident.

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EC issues factual report on incident involving EVM in Assam.

Polling party 149-Indira MV School of LAC 1 Ratabari (SC) met with incident. Party comprised a Presiding Officer & 3 polling personnel. They were accompanied by police personnel comprising a constable & a homeguard:EC pic.twitter.com/irm3DEr6KV

— ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2021

The video was also shared by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who attacked the ruling party and asked the EC to act decisively. “Every time there is an election videos of private vehicles caught transporting EVM’s show up. Unsurprisingly they have the following things in common: 1. The vehicles usually belong to BJP candidates or their associates.2. The videos are taken as one-off incidents and dismissed as aberrations. 3. The BJP uses its media machinery to accuse those who exposed the videos as sore losers. The fact is that too many such incidents are being reported and nothing is being done about them,” she said in multiple tweets.

Every time there is an election videos of private vehicles caught transporting EVM’s show up. Unsurprisingly they have the following things in common:

1. The vehicles usually belong to BJP candidates or their associates. ….

1/3 https://t.co/s8W9Oc0UcV

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) April 2, 2021

She also added that the Election Commission should start acting decisively on these complaints and a serious re-evaluation of the use of EVMs needs to be carried out by all national parties.

News agency ANI today reported that the EVM was being transported in the car as the EC vehicle had broken down. “Last night a polled EVM machine was being taken in Patharkandi Vidhan Sabha, Assam when a crowd intercepted it as the car didn’t belong to the EC. As per sources, the EC car had broken down and officials took a lift in a passing car that was later identified as belonging to a BJP candidate,” said the agency.

It reported quoting sources that an FIR has been lodged on unknown persons who attacked the car carrying the polled EVM. “Further investigations are on about the sequence of events, the EVM was not tampered with during the crowd attack and is in the custody of the administration,” it said.

Assam will go to third phase polls on April 6. The state recorded around 78 per cent turnout in the second phase yesterday and around 77 per cent turnout in phase-I polls on March 27. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.