BJP asks EC to countermand polls in Bengaluru constituency

A BJP delegation, led by Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, on Wednesday met top Election Commission officials here and demanded to countermand the election in Bengaluru's Rajarajeshwari Nagar seat, where a haul of fake election ID cards were found.

The delegation, also comprising Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, and J.P. Nadda, also demanded action against culprits in the controversy surrounding seizure of nearly 10,000 "fake" voter ID cards from a flat in the assembly constituency.

"We requested the Election Commission to kindly ensure free and fair elections in Karnataka. The voter IDs are proof of voter confidence and the only way to reinstate that confidence is to countermand the elections in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency," Irani told reporters after the meeting with the Election Commission officials.

The meeting comes in the wake of Election Commission officials on Tuesday night seizing 9,746 voter cards from a flat in Jalahalli area of the constituency.

Addressing reporters in Bengaluru. Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said a Deputy Election Commissioner rank official was being rushed from the national capital for a thorough enquiry to bring the truth out.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of the Congress leaders also met the Election Commission officials over the issue and sought a proper enquiry into the matter.

--IANS

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