Jharkhand elections: Political parties trade charges of model code violations in meeting with EC team

RANCHI: Chief election commissioner Sunil Arora on Wednesday met representatives of various political parties and took stock of security arrangements for the five-phase assembly polls scheduled to beging on November 30. Arora and a nine-member EC team arrived in Ranchi on Wednesday on a two-day visit to the state.

In the meeting at a city hotel, BJP raised the issue of Bangladeshi immigrants flooding several districts while Congress objected to the use of social media platforms by government officials to propagate pro-BJP slogans. JMM said that the government is advertising about employment in HCL to influence voters. Later in the day, the EC team met with government and police officials to take stock of security arrangements.

Deepak Prakash, state BJP general secretary, informed Arora and his team about the growing number of Bangladeshi immigrants in several districts. Prakash later said: "Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants are flooding districts like Pakur, Rajmahal, Sahibganj and other parts of Santhal Pargana and North Chhotanagpur. We have recommended adequate deployment of security forces to ensure that their presence does not threaten free and fair polls. I also intimated the CEC that some NGOs were using funds from foreign shores to influence voters."

Congress on the other hand said some deputy commissioners of districts who also double as district election officers are "acting like BJP spokespersons" on social media platforms. Congress spokesperson Alok Kumar Dubey said: "Most DCs are running a campaign titled ' Jharkhand with Modi' on social media. This is in violation of EC norms and we have sought action against the guilty officials." Congress also complained that BJP is using the JSCA stadium for poll-related activities.

JMM too accused BJP of trying to influence voters by withdrawing proposed amendments to the Indian Forest Act, 1927 just before the polls. JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya, said: "The amendments to IFA would have had a detrimental impact on all tribal communities. Now the withdrawal of these amendments is a way to influence voters. We have informed the EC that we take strong exception to the move and that it should be considered as a violation of the model code."

Bhattacharya added: "We also intimated the EC team that the central government undertaking Hindustan Copper Limited recently posted job advertisements for 47 positions. The company is located in Mosabani, Ghatsila, and extending jobs at this juncture when unemployment is rampant is an indirect way of influencing voters."

Delegations of JVM-P and CPI also met the EC team. JVM-P spokesperson Sunita Singh, said: "We have recommended that the election process be conducted in a transparent and impartial manner and special arrangements be made to facilitate handicapped persons and senior citizens to cast votes without having to undergo physical distress." Ajay Singh of CPI said: "We have alerted the EC about money being used illegally by parties to influence voters. We have asked the ECI to step up surveillance to check use of cash and liquor to influence voters and also to beef up deployment of paramilitary forces in the naxal-affected parts of the state."

Later in the day the CEC flagged off two Matdan Jagrukta Rath (voter awareness vehicles) at the campus of a hotel near the Ranchi railway station. Three People With Disabilities (PWD) icons also met and gave a green signal to Arora at the event held on Wednesday afternoon. Arora also unveiled a sand sculpture encouraging people to vote at the campus. The sculpture has been prepared by artists roped in by the Bokaro district administration. The CEC also witnessed Chhau dance artists who will be deployed in various parts of the state to encourage people to vote.