The Karnataka chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), BS Yeddyurappa, in a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), alleged 'grave irregularities' in the recently concluded assembly elections in the state after eight boxes used for carrying Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines have been found at a temporary shed in a village in Vijayapura district.
I am of a firm belief that Election Commission has taken a serious note of VVPAT machines found abandoned in a shed near Managuli village in Vijayapur district. It indicates grave irregularities in the conduct of Assembly polls in Karnataka.Yeddyurappa’s letter to the Chief Election Commissioner
He added, “This incident has exposed the hollowness of the claim of the Election Commission that Assembly elections in Karnataka were held in a free and free manner.”
Yeddyurappa said prior to polling day, party leaders and workers had brought many such irregularities to the notice of the concerned officials, but in vain.
The state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Sanjiv Kumar, said the boxes used for carrying VVPAT machines, found in Managuli village, do not belong to the district or to the Election Commission.
The boxes are without machine and paper and without unique electronic tracking number... the Election Commission will initiate strict action against those who are trying to create confusion.Sanjiv Kumar, CEO
The deputy commissioner of the district and the superintendent of police conducted on the spot inspection on Tuesday, 22 May, following reports that empty boxes of VVPAT machines were spotted in the shed.
"These boxes do not belong to Vijayapura district and 2744 VVPATs allotted to the district are safely kept in the strong room," Kumar said.
An FIR has been registered at Managuli police station and investigation into the matter is on, the CEO added.
Yeddyurappa alleged that in many Assembly segments of Bidar and Kalaburagi districts, police officials themselves helped rival candidates distribute money and liquor among the voters.
All the complaints of the BJP and its leaders failed to make any impact on the officials, he said.
The elections, held on 12 May, threw up a fractured mandate leading to a bitter political slugfest over government formation in the state.
The BJP emerged as the single largest party, but eight short of majority.
Governor Vajubhai Vala invited the BJP to form the government and Yeddyurappa was sworn in as chief minister on 17 May. He resigned two days later without facing the floor test in an anti-climax to the political drama following the hung verdict.
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