Resident seeks action against proxy voting in JH village

SHILLONG, May 26: A resident of Pala village, Remington Paslein on Sunday urged the Returning Officer of Shillong Parliamentary constituency, SC Sadhu to look into his complaint on the alleged proxy voting at the polling station in his village on the day of voting for the Lok Sabha election on April 19.
The village falls under the Sutnga-Saipung Assembly constituency in Jaintia Hills which is represented by NPP’s Santa Mary Shylla.
Paslein told The Shillong Times on Sunday that several residents of the village voted as many as five to ten times in the polling booth set up in his village.
He claimed that the proxy voting took place in the open since there was no one to stop the illegality at the polling station.
He further mentioned that he written a complaint to the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) of Sutnga-Saipung Assembly constituency on April 24 demanding that the officials should check the CCTV footage which had captured the illegality.
He even stated that he had attempted to meet the ARO at her office on at least four occasions.
“But every time I was told that she was not available in her office,” he said.
Paslein asked the Election Department to act against this illegal voting.
It may be mentioned that the VPP had earlier petitioned the Chief Electoral Officer expressing concern over possible proxy voting in Jaintia Hills.
The VPP had claimed that according to the information received by the workers of the party, there is likelihood that attempts would be made to interfere with the process of free and fair conduct of polls in the state especially in Jaintia Hills by anti-social elements having vested interest.
“There is a likelihood that proxy voting may take place if the polling officials are not vigilant and committed to the task of ensuring free and fair election”, the VPP had stated.