IMPHAL, April 16: The CPI today lodged several complaints with the Election Commission of India against the congress workers including Okram Henry, the nephew of the Chief Minister for allegedly intimidating its (CPI) workers.
Informing this in a press conference convened at the CPI office at Irabot Bhawan Imphal this evening, L Sotinkumar, the election agent of CPI candidate Dr M Nara alleged that last evening Okram Henry along with escort visited some of the polling stations which included 31/7, 31/8, 31/9, 31/10, 31/11, 31/12 and 31/13 under Thoubal Leisangthem within the Thoubal A/C.
During the visit Henry allegedly threatened CPI workers not to come at the mentioned polling stations to franchise their right.
The CPI drew the attention of the ECI to take up necessary action against Okram Henry.
Similarly, on April 14, the vice-chairperson of Thoubal Municipal Council Waikhom Prafullo along with some supporters of INC also allegedly threatened CPI workers in Thoubal Okram Wangmataba, Thoubal Wangmataba and Thoubal Kshetri Leikai under polling station numbers 31/18, 31/19, 31/21, 31/22, 31/29, 31/20 and 31/31 of Thoubal A/C.
Another complaint also submitted to the ECI, CPI urged to declare some of the polling station in Thoubal area as Hyper sensitive and deployed extra paramilitary forces thereon for a free and fair election.
The places included Moidangpok under Imphal West district, home polling of INC candidate Dr Th Meinya, Nambol A/C, Lilong Houreibe Makha Leikai under Lilong A/C and Andro A/C etc.
Sotinkumar in another complaind alleged that congress workers also forcibly collected voters identity slips from electors of polling station 30/27 of Lilong A/C by the workers of Indian National Congress party on April 16 by one Md Rahim son of Md Samey and Md Abdul Rahman of Lilong Mairelkhul.
He said that the duo are congress workers and forcibly collected voter and asked not to come out on the polling day. The area is identified as the home polling of Minister of Agriculture, A Nashir of the ruling government.
The CPI further appealed the ECI to give permission to deploy CPI volunteer for guarding the EVM store strong room beside the police protection. It noted that as per directive of the election commission of India rule “complete procedural security” as stated that after the poll the EVM are also seals in such manner that there is no physical access to any of the buttons on the EVMs.
The machines are put in the strong room again in the presence of candidate, observer of the commission under the video camera surveillance. The strong room is allowed to be guarded by the supporters of the candidates besides the police protection provided to strong room, asserted the complaint. Moreover it also urges to allow a separate lock keys in the strong room to avoid any legal complication in future.
The press conference was attended by CPI candidate Dr M Nara and other CPI workers were also present.