Plea plan to oppose civic poll count

Ranchi, April 4: Members of the Nagar Nigam Bachao Samiti have decided to file writ petitions in the lower court and Jharkhand High Court alleging irregularities in the counting of ballot papers during the civic body polls.
Members of the body claimed that they had “enough proof” to highlight the irregularities. “We have CDs that prove that the ballot papers were not counted properly,” said Chandra Bhushan Jaiswal, who was running for the post of deputy mayor.
Like Jaiswal, several other candidates who lost the elections, have now joined hands. “The writ petitions are being prepared and we would file them soon,” said Karma Oraon, the co-ordinator of the body, whose wife Shanti Oraon was contesting for the mayor’s post.
The members also alleged that the district administration had “misused” government machinery in favour of Rama Khalkho, the mayor-elect and Ajay Nath Shahdeo, the deputy mayor-elect while counting the ballot papers.
Flashing out some ballot papers, which according to them had not been counted, they said that the validity of the entire election would be “challenged”. “Over 100 writs are being prepared. We have created a legal cell where our lawyers are working on the petitions,” said Anand Kothari, a legal advisor of the body.
Meanwhile, the members decided to take out an “Akrosh Rally” against the Ranchi Municipal Corporation poll on Saturday. The rally is scheduled to begin from Birsa Chowk in Hinoo to Morabadi grounds through the Main Road.
The participants would take an oath in front of Bisra Munda’s statue at Hinoo Chowk to save democracy.
The Telegraph; OUR CORRESPONDENT