BJP, JVM demand inquiry into EVM tampering

BJP and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantric) leaders today demanded an inquiry into the charges of EVM tampering that triggered protests and police lathicharge injuring more than 12 persons, including political leaders and media persons.

"There should be a judicial inquiry into the incident to clear doubts that would do justice to the 'victims'," BJP leader and former assembly speaker C P Singh told reporters here.

He also demanded that the Election Commission and the district administration should apprise the political parties about the places of deployment of security forces while alleging that the district administration had deployed the forces in favour of the Congress candidate.

"In many booths only home guards had been deployed during yesterday's polling in Ranchi, raising question about the locations of deployment of 10,000 personnel," Singh added.

JSCA President Amitabh Choudhary, the JVM's candidate from Ranchi, demanded re-polling and an inquiry into the incident.

The district administration lodged a case against Choudhary and his supporters on charge of instigating trouble and "misbehaving" with a government official.

Singh, Choudhary and Trinamool Congress candidate Bandhu Tirkey were unscathed during the police lathicharge.