Assam: Punishment Order issued against election officers in Tinsukia due to postal ballot mess

A punishment order has been issued against election officers in Tinsukia district following a massive mess in the distribution of postal ballots. The incident occurred during the commencement of the home voting process by Absentee Voters (AV-SC & AV-PD) in the 82-Doomdooma Assembly Segment of Lakhimpur HPC, Tinsukia Election District on April 6, 2024.

A team comprising Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee, Bishnubrat Hazarika, and Monjyoti Chetia, along with support personnel, was deployed for the home voting process. However, upon their return, it was discovered that while they had completed the postal ballot polling process for 14 voters, 16 counterfoils had been used.

Furthermore, a serious lapse occurred when the team issued postal ballots twice to two voters, aged 88 and 86 respectively, due to objections raised by their family members. This resulted in double voting, a clear violation of election protocol.

In response to these serious violations, the District Election Officer took swift action by filing a First Information Report (FIR) against all personnel involved in the incident. Consequently, all polling personnel and the Micro-Observer have been immediately barred from participating in any election duties for the ongoing General Election to the House of People (Lok Sabha Election-2024) in Tinsukia Election district.

To ensure accountability and thorough investigation, a Magisterial Enquiry has been initiated under the supervision of Md. Jabed Arman, ACS, Assistant Returning Officer, Lakhimpur HPC. This inquiry aims to delve into the details of the incident and ascertain any additional lapses or irregularities.

Furthermore, the sponsoring authorities of the polling personnel, namely Assam Gramin Vikash Bank and Tinsukia Polytechnic, have been duly informed of the negligent conduct displayed by their staff. They have been urged to take appropriate action by initiating departmental proceedings against the personnel involved, in accordance with relevant laws and guidelines. This step underscores the commitment to upholding the integrity and fairness of the electoral process in Tinsukia district.