Chandigarh: As the row over ‘ink’ surrounding the Rajya Sabha poll in Haryana refuses to abate, the Election Commission (EC) on Thursday showed the video footage of the polling area to the representatives of two candidates as well as those who had filed a complaint with the poll body. EC officials had called the two winning candidates–Union Minister Birender Singh and Independent candidate backed by BJP Subhash Chandra–besides the losing candidate R K Anand, an Independent who was backed by opposition Congress and INLD. However, Singh and Chandra were not present and had sent their representatives.

Anand, after seeing the footage, alleged that the manner in which a ruling BJP MLA has behaved during marking his vote, ‘raises suspicion.’ Congress and Anand had moved EC, alleging that someone had changed the original pen provided by the election officials with another one for a while which resulted in some votes being declared as invalid. “EC authorities showed us the video footage. I have pointed out the role of BJP MLA Aseem Goel in the whole matter, which raises suspicion,” Anand, a lawyer by profession, told reporters. Charging Aseem Goel with replacing the pen, he said: “The votes cast later were declared invalid.

And when Independent MLA Jai Prakash comes, the pen was again changed resulting all votes being polled in between as invalid.” As many as 14 votes of MLAs were declared invalid in the Saturday’s polls. Goel, who had faced similar charges from INLD few days back, again trashed the allegations. Likewise, Independent MLA Jai Prakash also rubbished allegations that he had used any unfair means during the poll.

For more news updates Follow and Like us on Facebook