Bhubaneswar: A day before the Patkura assembly by-poll under the politically sensitive Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat, women MLAs of ruling BJD led by Government Chief Whip Pramila Mallick today moved both the Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and Director General of Police (DGP) apprehending massive booth capture and rigging and requested for adequate preventive measures.
The memorandum of BJD addressed to the CEO demanded deployment of adequate security forces, web-casting, CCTV, Micro Observers in the booths in the Patkura Assembly Constituency on the day polling, i.e. tomorrow.
Speaking to media later, senior BJD MLA and Government Chief Whip Pramila Mallick said, “Some booths in Patkura are likely to be captured, rigged and voters to be terrorized by the BJP. Hence, we have submitted a memorandum with the CEO today for deploying adequate police force and beefing up security. We have also requested for appointing Micro Observer, installing CCTV.”
She informed, “We have complained about 56 booths there. We want that the voting should be conducted in a free, fair and peaceful manner.”
“As a woman candidate is contesting the Patkura poll, we all party women MLAs have come today with our complaint,” remarked the senior woman BJD MLA.
On the contrary, BJP delegation led by Odisha unit BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty also submitted a memorandum with the CEO alleging corrupt practices and illegal activities of BJD in the Patkura election being held tomorrow.
The memorandum mentioned, “We, therefore, call upon you to immediately enforce the law and order and ensure that no liquor or intoxicating drinks are given, sold, distributed in Patkura AC areas in any private or public places.”
It added, “We, therefore, request you to immediately direct the Collector, SP, ROs, AROs and IICs of police stations to identify the outsiders. BJD leaders camping under Patkura AC areas should be removed urgently on priority basis.”
“To ensure free and fair election, we urge upon you to direct videography and CCTV surveillance in all booths under Derabish Block in addition to deployment of armed forces and give weightage to our suggestion in the matter of deployment of Central Armed Forces,” highlighted the BJP memorandum to Odisha CEO.
