NCP, BJP demand bogus votes to be declared invalid

Imphal: Manipur units of NCP and BJP on Wednesday demanded that "bogus" votes detected by the Election Commission after verifying photos of electorates in electoral rolls with that taken while polling during the Assembly elections should be declared invalid.

NCP president and former chief minister Radhabinod Koijam said the Election Commission should not order repoll at the polling stations in hill areas and Wabgai in Thoubal district where bogus votes were reported as there was no guarantee that there would not be proxy votes again.

He said in Saikot and some other constituencies in hill districts, male voters had cast votes in place of female voters and vice versa.

Koijam claimed that in many Muslim-dominated polling stations in Wabgai, large scale proxy votes were reportedly cast by women voters wearing 'burkha'.

State BJP unit acting president Tiken Singh said the party would submit a memorandum to declare bogus votes as invalid, but not to order repoll at the polling stations where proxy votes were reported.

Election office said the three observers of Election Commission, who checked the photos of voters in electoral rolls and photos taken during polling, found bogus votes following complaints from different quarters.

The team returned to New Delhi on February 13 to submit their report to the commission.

The counting of votes for 60-member Manipur Assembly would be held on March 6 next. The elections were held on January 28 last.