EVM Irregularity? Poll Official Brushes Off Bhupesh Baghel's Allegation

Congress allegations about a mismatch in the numbers of stored Electronic Voting Machine units have been rubbished by the Chief Electoral Officer of Chhattisgarh. On the issue raised by former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel -- and highlighted by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on social media -- the Chief Electoral Officer said it was "not based on facts".

"The alleged mismatch in EVMs number shared with the INC candidate of Rajnandgaon PC, is not based on facts. The EVMs used during polls are exactly according to the list of machines shared by Returning Officer after randomization with contesting candidates," read his response posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The alleged mismatch in EVMs number shared with the INC candidate of Rajnandgaon PC, is not based on facts.

The EVMs used during polls are exactly according to the list of machines shared by Returning Officer after randomization with contesting candidates. @ECISVEEP
1/4 https://t.co/4DWpHRcUOE pic.twitter.com/vE5HJkPAaj

— Chief Electoral Officer, Chhattisgarh (@CEOChhattisgarh) June 3, 2024

Posting a long chart on X, Mr Baghel had said, "According to the information given in Form 17C after the voting in my constituency Rajnandgaon, the numbers of many machines have changed".

"The booths where the numbers have been changed affect thousands of votes. Similar complaints have been received from many other Lok Sabha constituencies. We are complaining to the State Election Officer," read a rough translation of his post in Hindi.

चुनाव आयोग ने चुनाव में प्रयुक्त होने वाली मशीनों के नंबर दिए थे। इसमें बैलेट यूनिट, कंट्रोल यूनिट और वीवीपैट शामिल है।

मेरे चुनाव क्षेत्र राजनादगांव मतदान के बाद फ़ॉर्म 17सी में जो जानकारी दी गई है‌ उसके अनुसार बहुत सी मशीनों के नंबर बदल गए हैं। जिन बूथों पर नंबर बदले हैं उससे… pic.twitter.com/HsKwS0xxCU

— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) June 3, 2024

His post was shared by Jairam Ramesh, with a comment, which read, "This matter is being raised immediately before the Election Commission. It is hoped that the Election Commission will take action quickly".

Earlier today, Mr Ramesh had faced a rebuff from the poll body, which refused to give him more time to provide evidence to back up his allegation that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called up and intimidated 150 district officers. He was asked to file a reply by 7 pm.

The Opposition's complaints about EVMs have drawn many jeers from the BJP camp over the years. The BJP alleges that it is the Opposition's favourite way of explaining their defeat. The party also pointed out that the Opposition does not complain about EVMs when they win.

Electronic Voting Machines, a key grouse of the Opposition, have received full support from the Supreme Court, which said a firm no to a return to ballot papers. The hearing took place as the elections were on.

The Opposition has questioned the security at EVM storage units. Amid polls, Opposition leader Supriya Sule alleged that CCTV cameras at an EVM strongroom in Maharashtra was switched off for about 45 minutes. The Returning Officer for the constituency said only the "display was temporarily closed", without citing reasons.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/yfvYMWQ

Read More

Farage’s return means turbulence for the Tories

Nigel Farage is running for Parliament - but he also might reshape the Conservative Party as he does so.

from BBC News https://ift.tt/YjctmGB

Read More

BBC announces dates for election TV debates

A seven-party debate is to be held on Friday, before a Question Time special and head-to-head event.

from BBC News https://ift.tt/SecpJj9

Read More

Key Accused In Kerala Organ Trade Case Tried to Sell Own Kidney: Cops

A man from Andhra Pradesh, said to the kingpin in a massive organ trade racket, has been arrested from Hyderabad. Bellamkonda Ram Prasad, 41, also known as Prathapan, was tasked with finding donors who would match recipients, the police said.  Investigations in the Nedumbassery case that surfaced in Kerala, indicated that Prasad facilitated over 60 per cent of donor matches -- none resulted in rejection.

The police believe that he conducted preliminary testing at labs in Hyderabad to verify compatibility, a key point in transplantation.

A well-known real estate entrepreneur in the Hyderabad and Vijayawada, Prasad was arrested by the Kerala police from a hotel in Hyderabad.  The man, who allegedly played a key role in the Nedumbassery case as well as other similar rackets, has been taken to Kerala's Aluva for questioning. The police zeroed in on him after questioning other suspects in the case.

Reports say Prasad roped in a large number of people in Andhra Pradesh for organ trafficking. Two Malayalis, Sabith Nasar, 30, from Thrissur and Sajith Shyamraj, 43, from Kalamassery, were taken into custody earlier.

After selling his own kidney in 2019, Sabith Nasar got involved in the racket. Following his statements, inquiries started in Hyderabad. The investigators found that the presence of a huge racket that operated across Iran, Kuwait, and Sri Lanka.

Vaibhav Saxena, the chief of Ernakulam district police, who is leading the Special Investigation Team probing the case, said Prasad had got in touch with the gang when he tried to sell his kidney. His health problems had barred him, after which he joined in the racket and became a procurer.

He later got in touch with Madhu, the gang's alleged link in Iran, who is yet to be arrested. Recipients would approach Madhu, who would then work with Prasad to meet their requests, the police said. All the gang members in India have been arrested.

Investigation indicates that the donors – mostly from low-income families -- were flown to Iran and lodged in apartments ahead of transplants, which took place at private medical facilities. Aadhaar cards and other documents were used to generate fake passports for them.

Upto Rs 6 lakh was given to donors, but middlemen made much more money.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/boCYGQZ

Read More

US expects Israel will accept Gaza ceasefire plan if Hamas does

The White House believes Hamas has been weakened to a point that it cannot repeat the 7 October attack.

from BBC News https://ift.tt/5Rd3C7L

Read More

Will using Western weapons on Russia help Ukraine change the war?

The latest Russian advance in the Kharkiv region has convinced Kyiv’s allies to change their policy.

from BBC News https://ift.tt/73KxfWq

Read More

Bangladeshi Man Was Lost In India For Years, A Cyclone Helped Him Get Found

Cyclonic storm Remal, which ravaged parts of India and Bangladesh recently, came as a blessing in disguise for at least one family. A man, presumed dead by his family in Bangladesh nearly four years ago, was traced to Namkhana in West Bengal's South 24-Parganas district during the evacuation of people from riverine and coastal areas to cyclone shelters further inland.

Anup Sasmal, a civil defence volunteer from the district, was involved in the evacuation process hours before Remal made landfall when he spotted a man at the Sasmal Bandh area of Namkhana. Despite the inclement weather, the man sat next to the embankment. On approaching him, Mr Sasmal realised that the man was suffering from some sort of mental illness.

He could neither provide a name nor an address but murmured something about fish and Bangladesh.

Mr Sasmal somehow coaxed the man into accompanying him to a cyclone shelter. At the shelter, names and addresses of occupants had to be jotted down in a register and an exception had to be made in the man's case. After the worst was over, he was put up at a roadside government rest house under Mr Sasmal's protection.

Finally, Mr Sasmal placed a call to the West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC), an organisation of amateur radio operators known for their acumen in reuniting such people with their families.

Incidentally, the WBRC had been requested by the South 24-Parganas district administration to send a team to Sagar Island ahead of Remal's landfall to maintain communication links in case other modes failed.

"We received Mr Sasmal's call and tried to speak to the man. He was incoherent. However, two things were clear. He was a resident of Bangladesh and had something to do with the fish trade or fishing. We immediately activated our friends (also amateur radio operators) in Bangladesh. It didn't take them long to trace a family in the Dolkha village of Nangolkote in the Comilla district of Bangladesh whose missing son matched the description," said Ambarish Nag Biswas, secretary, WBRC.

"Officials at the Nangalkote police station were extremely cooperative. It was ascertained that the unidentified man was Md Milan, son of one Rustom Ali, from that village," Mr Biswas added.

Mr Milan left behind his wife Fancy, a son and a daughter when he went missing nearly four years ago. The children are now 9 and 16 years old. The whole family broke down when WBRC members connected them through a video call with Mr Milan.

It appears that Mr Milan was a fish trader and had left home to buy fresh supplies before he went missing. He had been carrying a lot of cash and it was presumed that he had been looted and murdered by criminals. How he reached Namkhana in West Bengal remains a mystery.

"It was a touching moment when the family saw Mr Milan on their mobile screen. His wife and cousin were weeping and his son, who must have been around five years old when he disappeared, recalled how his father had promised him a bicycle. Nature has its strange ways. Had it not been for Remal, Mr Milan would have been just another vagabond roaming the streets. We thank Anup Sasmal for his efforts and officials of the Nangalkote police station in Bangladesh, as well as our fellow HAMs from that country for this remarkable achievement," Mr Biswas added.

Efforts have begun to procure documents from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, and the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata to enable Mr Milan's repatriation to the neighbouring country where he will be reunited with his family.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/3OY8mkA

Read More