Yogendra Yadav seeks action against bogus votes

Gurgaon, April 3 (IANS) Yogendra Yadav, AAP candidate for the Lok Sabha from Gurgaon, Thursday urged the Election Commission to take immediate action against fake votes in the constituency, as it turned out to be the epicentre of bogus votes in the latest sting operations.

The sting about fake voter ID cards and names on voters' lists carried out by the private television channel Aaj Tak has revealed shocking facts.

"It is well known that Gurgaon has experienced large-scale rigging in the electoral rolls. Haryana Sports and Youth Minister Sukhbir Singh Kataria is known to have been involved in electoral rolls violation and faces criminal cases on this count," Yadav told media persons.

Reports have revealed that the minister won by 2,138 votes in 2009 as an Independent candidate. The Gurgaon administration has cancelled over 32,000 bogus votes based on complaint of Om Prakash Kataria, chief of Gurgaon-based Matdata Jagrookta Manch.

"What is even more shocking in the latest sting, is the involvement of booth level officers and other private and government agencies involved by the Election Commission in this exercise," said Yadav, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party.

"Media reports suggest that all the tapes concerning the sting have been handed over to the Election Commission and it is in the process of verifying these tapes and checking the authenticity of these allegations," he added.

"The AAP expresses deep concern at gross violation of fundamental democratic franchise. Such a major case calls for drastic and exemplary action by the Election Commission. We request the Election Commission to carry out an immediate verification of electoral rolls in the Gurgaon constituency," Yadav said.

"An exemplary action by the Election Commission in this case will go a long way in boosting public confidence in free and fair elections," said Yadav.