Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 4 (ANI): After the Uttar Pradesh unit of Congress alleged that a wall at a counting centre in Mirzapur was broken so that EVMs could be tampered with, the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) clarified that the boundary wall at Polytechnic College was opened to enable entry of Counting Agents of the candidates for Chunar Assembly segment since the paths of counting agents and counting personnel of Chhanbey Assembly segment were crisscrossing.
"The opening in the boundary wall of the Polytechnic College has been created to enable entry of Counting Agents of the candidates for Chunar Assembly segment/ Postal Ballot counting. This was necessitated as the paths of counting agents and Counting personnel of the Chhanbey Assembly segment were crisscrossing which is not as per the standard procedure. The entry was made on the advice of the General and Police Observer of Mirzapur PC," the CEO said in a post on 'X'.
The CEO also refuted the claim of the Congress that the District Magistrate of Mirzapur is a relative of the BJP candidate.
The CEO mentioned that the Samajwadi Party candidate of Mirzapur PC was informed about these facts on Sunday.
"These facts were explained to the Samajwadi Party candidate of Mirzapur PC yesterday evening by DM Mirzapur and he was satisfied. This was also explained to the delegation of Samajwadi Party around 5:00 pm today to their satisfaction by CEO UP," the CEO said.
Earlier the Uttar Pradesh Congress posted on 'X', "In Mirzapur, a wall was broken with the intention of entering the strong room of Polytechnic College so that EVMs can be tampered with. It is being told that the District Magistrate Mirzapur is a relative of the BJP candidate. In such a situation, fair counting of votes is not possible."
"The Election Commission should immediately take cognizance of the incident and ensure transparent counting of votes by removing the District Magistrate from the counting process," the party added.
Voting in Uttar Pradesh was held in all the seven stages of the Lok Sabha polls starting on April 19 and ending on June 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for today. (ANI)
