Photo Credit: The Suncity News
Patna, June 3, 2024: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has expressed concern over the use of the term “toolkit” by the Election Commission during its press briefing on Monday.
RJD spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan said the Commission should have avoided using politically loaded terms that have been repeatedly used by the BJP against opposition parties.
“The word ‘tool kit’ has been used by the BJP for opposition parties. When the Election Commission uses a term that a particular party has used specifically against its rivals, questions may arise about its transparency,” Gagan said.
RJD leader alleged Election Commission is not addressing the issues of opposition parties:
The RJD leader alleged that the Election Commission did not provide satisfactory responses to any of the issues raised by opposition parties throughout the election process.
Referring to the counting of postal ballots, he said the Commission’s interpretation of Rule 54A of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, was “half-hearted.”
According to him, beginning the count of postal ballots first means completing the process and formally announcing the postal ballot figures before starting the counting of EVMs.
Gagan said the number of postal ballot voters has increased significantly and has become a decisive factor in many constituencies.
“In the 2020 assembly elections, the RJD lost many seats due to irregularities in postal ballots. In this Lok Sabha election, several constituencies are witnessing a very close contest, and postal ballots will play a crucial role. In such a situation, changing the rules of postal ballot counting is not appropriate from the viewpoint of fairness. It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure transparency and credibility,” he added.
RJD’s strategy for the counting day:
The RJD spokesperson said the party has prepared a detailed strategy for the counting day.
“We have issued guidelines to all Grand Alliance candidates and asked them to follow them strictly. Counting agents will be deployed on every table—for EVMs as well as postal ballots. They have been instructed to match Form 17V with the EVM before counting begins. If Form 17C does not match the EVM, it means the machine has been changed,” he claimed.
Explaining the significance of Form 17C, Gagan said the form is attached to each EVM at the polling booth after voting ends, and a copy is provided to every candidate.
“Form 17C is crucial for every political party. However, the Election Commission has not provided copies to many of our candidates,” he alleged.
Earlier, RJD national president Lalu Prasad Yadav had instructed party workers to remain alert during counting, expressing apprehension about possible irregularities.
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