EC to probe video ‘threat’ in Karnal by BJP nominee
Mr Zutshi, a former IAS officer, has earlier worked as chief electoral officer of Rajasthan and in the EC for seven years in various capacities.
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Sunday named former deputy election commissioner Vinod Zutshi as special observer for the Assembly polls in Assandh, in Karnal district of Haryana after a video went viral in the social media. The BJP candidate in Assandh is seen in the video threatening voters that they will know easily who had voted for them and who has not through EVMs.
“For a mistake of five seconds you will suffer for five years. We will come to know who voted for whom. Nobody should be in any kind of illusion. We deliberately do not say this, but if someone asks then I can also tell you who voted where because Modiji and Manohar Lal Khattar have very sharp eyes. Wherever you may vote, it will register with flower (lotus, the BJP symbol). Whichever button you may press, the vote will go only to the BJP. We have fitted a chip in the electronic voting machines,” said Mr Bakshish Singh Virk, the outgoing BJP MLA and the party’s candidate from Assandh.
The EC has not made it clear whether it has issued any notice to Mr Virk for making such threats to voters and claims against the sanctity of EVMs. However, it said Mr Zutshi was appointed to keep an eye against harassment of voters and to ensure there was no fear over voting.
“Mr Zutshi has been requested to proceed immediately to the constituency to take necessary corrective action and ensure free, fair and peaceful election,” the EC said.
Mr Zutshi, a former IAS officer, has earlier worked as chief electoral officer of Rajasthan and in the EC for seven years in various capacities. Mr Zutshi was deputed as a special observer to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tripura in the recent Lok Sabha polls in April-May 2019.