Madhya Pradesh: Dr Govind Singh flags discrepancies in Lahar assembly, demands probe

BHOPAL: Dr Govind Singh, the Congress candidate and Leader of Opposition representing Bhind's Lahar assembly seat, has formally lodged a complaint with the Election Commission citing significant discrepancies in the electoral process within the Lahar Assembly.
Singh highlighted multiple shortcomings, especially purported disappearance of ballot papers intended for elderly citizens, disabled individuals, and government employees.
In a video, the Leader of Opposition claimed that a considerable number of ballot papers allocated for elderly and disabled voters, alongside those designated for government employees, were unaccounted for in the Lahar Assembly.
Singh raised concerns over these missing ballots, expressing apprehensions regarding their potential impact on the election's fairness.
Singh's complaint, filed on Sunday, specifically questioned the District Election Officer's handling of approximately 1200 ballot papers designated for government employees, compared against the significantly lower count of 235 ballots allocated for elderly and disabled individuals, which were allegedly reported missing.
"When I sought clarification from the Collector and Lahar SDM, they refrained from providing any information," Singh asserted. "Allegedly, during the training phase, six hundred employees had already cast their ballots, which have also gone missing," he added, raising suspicions of possible irregularities perpetrated by the District Election Officer.
Singh mentioned these concerns to the Election Commission, asserting the need for a thorough investigation into the alleged discrepancies within the electoral process.
Government officials say that the missing ballot papers have been securely stored in the treasury, in compliance with the Election Commission's regulations.