False voting in Darj, allege TMC & GNLF

SNS, Darjeeling/ Siliguri, 17 April 2014: Polling in all the seven assembly segments under the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency was largely peaceful, according to the Darjeeling District magistrate.

However, some complaints were lodged by political parties against each other. The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) alleged that the central armed forces deployed in some polling stations in the hill areas tried to intimidate the voters, while leaders of the Trinamul Congress and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) said they have filed complaints of false voting in various polling stations across the hills. District Magistrate Puneet Yadav, however, said that election officials promptly investigated the complaints and found that no such incidents were reported in any of those booths.
In the evening, Asha Gurung, the wife of GJMM chief Bimal Gurung, along with a group of GJMM supporters, was detained by the Darjeeling police for allegedly violating the election code of conduct.
Meanwhile, many voters in Darjeeling reported technical flaws in the voting process. Some said they were unable to find their names in the rolls, though their names showed on the website of the Election Commission of India. Election officials said the error was rectified soon.
Until 5 p.m. the total voter turnout in all the seven segments of the constituency was 77.43 percent.
In the plains, polling was brisk and peaceful, officials said, with the police saying that they have so far not received reports or complaints of any untoward incident.  In some booths in the plains, polling was delayed due to technical glitches in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM).
Administrative officials said the turnout in the plains was around 85 %.Police said polling went off peacefully under the Siliguri Metropolitan Police (SMP) areas.
“Polls were held in a peaceful manner. No report of any untoward incident was received so far. Neither the people nor the political parties lodged any complaint,” said SMP commissioner Jag Mohan.
According to him, he visited several booths to monitor the security arrangements there.  “There will be a three-layer security for the strong rooms (where the EVMs will be kept). CRPF personnel will form the first layer, while the second layer will consist of the state armed police personnel and the district police will form the third layer,” Mr Mohan said.