Repolling in progress across seven states

NI Wire

New Delhi

Sat, 18 Apr 2009: 

Repolling is in progress at 37 polling stations across four states on Saturday, including 29 polling booths in Andhra Pradesh, five in Assam, two in Kerala and one in Uttar Pradesh.

The repoll in one polling station in Jammu & Kashmir will be held on Sunday, and five booths in Arunachal Pradesh and tee in Kerala on Monday.

After reviewing the first phase of Lok Sabha poll, the Election Commission on Friday ordered repolling at 46 polling stations spread over seven states on account of disruptions.

“In the states that went for polling on Thursday, the process of examination of documents by the Observers and Returning Officers in the presence of candidates or their agents is going on. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has announced that repolling for the Phase-I in states and UTs will take place on April 18, 19 and 20,” the poll panel said in a statement here.

In Assam, repolling began from 7 am in five booths of Karimganj and Silchar Lok Sabha seats. Repolling here is being conducted owing to damage of EVMs and other poll irregularities during the first phase elections on Thursday. Voting will continue till 4 pm.

In Andhra Pradesh, repolling is taking place at 29 polling stations under 7 parliamentary constituencies, and would continue up to 4 pm. Villagers had damaged EVMs at 17 booths at Aiza village in Nagarkurnool parliamentary seat protesting against delimitation, and at other places technical snags and human errors prompted EC to order repolling.

Repolling at several other places, particularly Naxal-hit areas of Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and Chhattisgarh might be ordered later as Observers and Returning Officers are still examining the documents of the first phase of polling in presence of candidates or their agents.

Meanwhile, EC reiterated its recent order yesterday doubling the ex-gratia payment from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh to the poll staff or their kin in the event of any mishap during election duty.

“If the death (of poll-related personnel) is unfortunately caused due to any violent acts or extremist or unsocial elements like roadmines, bomb blasts, armed attacks etc, the compensation should be doubled to Rs 10 lakh,” the Commission had clarified in its order dated Feb 17, 2009. The ex-gratia payment was fixed at Rs 2.5 lakh in case of permanent disability like loss of limbs or eyesight and the amount should be doubled in case of attacks by extremist or unsocial elements.

As many as 19 people, including 10 security personnel, were killed in Naxal attacks in the first phase of polling held in 124 constituencies across 15 states and two UTs on April 16.

*Photo from PIB