Varanasi: Poll Candidates From PM Modi's Constituency Complaint About Rig In The Process
Apparently, the poll officials from Prime Minister Narendra Modi”s constituency, Varanasi, impede with others who were trying to file the nomination. Of the 41 people who filed the nominations, 33 were rejected, and eight were approved. The eight were reported to be candidates linked with BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh). The poll fray in Varanasi has became the least competitive in its history of electoral battle, while compared to the 26 candidates in 2019, and 42 candidates in 2014 Lok Sabha election.
According to Scroll, the candidates allege that the returning officer and district magistrate of Varanasi, S Rajalingam and his assistant returning officer processed the nominations at “snail”s pace”. Later, the officers spent hours going through the affidavits filed by over 14 independent candidates who are reportedly linked to the BJP and RSS.
It was reported that on May 12, the last day to file nomination in Varanasi, the returning officer accepted 27 applications, only to inform the applicants in the evening that their affidavit had problems. Rajalingam told many of them that they had not administered the oaths. Administering oath is a crucial prerequisite for nomination. As per Article 84A of the Constitution, applicants have to swear allegiance to the Constitution to “uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India”.
It is to note that the oath had to be administered by Rajalingam or his assistant returning officer. As per the guidelines mentioned in the handbook of the Election Commission of India for the returning officers, they should “advise the candidate to make oath or affirmation immediately after presenting their nomination papers and in any case not later than by the day previous to the date of the scrutiny”.
However, in Varanasi, the returning officer did not advise the candidates to take the oath, nor did he listened to them when they asked. An applicant names Harpreet Singh told the Scroll that he specifically asked the election officials to administer him the oath. “I made the request thrice to the returning officer and thrice to the assistant returning officer, but they just kept ignoring me”, he said.
The officials rejected 33 applications on May 15, the day of scrutiny, by citing the problem of not administering the oath. 37-year-old Sunil Kumar Bind, whose application was also rejected told Scroll that they are “not free people”. He said, “this election is not an election. We are given rations for two square meals and asked to shut up and be happy in this country. We are not free people”.
The Election Commission of India refused to respond to Scrolls” request to comment on the issue.
