AMN /Bengaluru
The Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar has confirmed that the EPIC cards found in an apartment in Bengaluru were original cards collected from voters with an intention to influence them. Last evening, Elections Commission had recovered around ten thousand voter I-cards from an apartment in Bengaluru’s Jalahalli area.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru Wednesday, the CEO said, this is a serious matter and Election Commission has rushed a Deputy Election Commissioner to the city to look into the matter. He said, 9896 EPIC cards were seized and investigation is on by independent observers. He also added that at this stage, it cannot be said which party is involved in this.
Meanwhile, a BJP delegation today met Election Commission in New Delhi and demanded countermanding of election in Rajarajeshwarinagar assembly seat in light of latest revelations of voter ID cards. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Information and broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani said that voter IDs are proof of voter confidence and to reinstate it, the election to Rajarajeshwari constituency must be countermanded.
A delegation of senior Congress leaders also met the Election Commission. Talking to media, party leader Anand Sharma said, there are concerted efforts by the Centre to subvert the free and fair electoral process.
Union Minister Prakash Javdekar alleged Congress candidate and sitting MLA Munniratana Naidu was behind the alleged racket which was exposed by BJP worker Rakesh. Congress Spokesman R S Surjiwala dismissed the charge as a lie. He said, the flat owner Manjula Nanjamari and Rakesh had BJP connections and, both contested Bengaluru’s Municipal elections on BJP tickets.