Repolling An Insult To People’s Opinion: Bhartruhari

Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD leader Bhartruhari Mahtab on Thursday disagreed with the decision of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct repolling in four booths of Athagarh Assembly segment under Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency.

Talking to mediapersons, the sitting MP from Cuttack said usually repolling is conducted on three issues. “If the presiding or returning officers have any complaint on the mode and manner of polling in any booth, then the ECI orders repolling with the recommendation of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Besides, if polling in any booth exceeds 80 per cent, the decision to conduct repolling is taken on the basis of the footage.

“But none of these issues was noticed in the four booths in Athagarh during polling. We took up with the ECI, this decision to conduct repolling in four booths against the recommendation of the CEO, but to no avail. The ECI should not have ordered repolling in these booths,” Bhartruhari said.

As per the ECI order, repolling would be held in Khuntakata Primary School (90), Sathilo Basudevpur UGME School (100) and Rajnagar UGME School (137 and 138) under Athagarh Assembly constituency on May 19.