Bhubaneswar: A day after the Panchayatiraj department issued a draft notification amending the Odisha Gram Panchayat Election Rules 1965, opposition BJP and Congress alleged that it is an attempt of the BJD to promote election rigging.
Speaking to media persons, here on Saturday, Sankarshan Parida, state coordinator of BJP’s Panchayati Raj Samiti, said the provision of counting the ballots at block-level after completion of all phases of the elections is an attempt by the state government to undermine the democratic institutions at grassroots level.
Raising his doubt over the security of the ballot boxes, Parida said, “There is no provision to provide security or strong room to keep over 4 lakh ballot boxes of one lakh booths during the panchayat election in the state.”
While 4-5 booths are opened in every panchayat during Assembly and Lok Sabha election, people cast their votes in 15-30 booths in panchayat polls, he added. Considering the substantial increase in number of booths and ballot boxes, how can the government provide security, he wondered.
Meanwhile, the Congress has also raised objection to the proposed amendment. “The rules have been amended to manipulate the results as the BJD is afraid of its loss in the panchayat elections,” said senior Congress leader and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati. He demanded that the counting should be done at the polling booths on the day of election.
It may be noted that the Panchayatiraj department on Friday issued a draft notification amending the Odisha Gram Panchayat Election Rules 1965 with a provision of counting the ballots at block-level after completion of all phases of the elections.
Also Read: Panchayat Polls: Odisha Govt Amends Rules On Counting Of Ballots