Massive security lapse in Rajasthan, ballot unit found on road, two suspended

A day after the voting and Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s suspicion about the possible EVM tampering in Prime Minister Narendra "Modi's News India", a ballot unit was found lying on road in Kishanganj Assembly constituency of Rajasthan’s Baran district, news agency ANI reported. Following the shocking lapse, two officials have been suspended on the ground of negligence. The ballot unit, meanwhile, has been kept in a strong room in Kishanganj. The scandalous incident came amid the EVM tampering claims by the Opposition parties. Earlier on Friday, Rahul Gandhi had directed Congress party workers to stay vigilant and stand guard outside strong rooms on suspicions of tampering in EVMs.

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Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress president said, “In MP, EVMs behaved strangely after polling. Some stole a school bus and vanished for 2 days. Others slipped away and were found drinking in a hotel. In Modi’s India, the EVMs have mysterious powers. Stay alert!”

#WATCH: A ballot unit was found lying on road in Shahabad area of Kishanganj Assembly Constituency in Baran district of Rajasthan yesterday. Two officials have been suspended on grounds of negligence. #RajasthanElections pic.twitter.com/yq7F1mbCFV

— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2018

Earlier, the Congress party had moved Madhya Pradesh High Court, seeking SIT probe into alleged irregularities in the handling of EVM machines and security lapses in strong rooms in some districts after the state went to polls on November 28.

The High Court, however, the court rejected the petition filed by Congress leader Saraf citing alleged attempts to tamper with EVM and VVPAT machines used in Bhopal, Satna, Shajapur, Sagar and Khandwa.

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The petition was filed after reports of short-term failure of CCTV cameras in Bhopal and delay in depositing EVMs and VVPATs in Khandwa. The Election Commission, however, refuted the reports and told the court that all the necessary instructions were given in advance for safe upkeeping of polled EVMs, VVPATs, unused/reserved EVMs and VVPATs after the poll ends.