Ajit Pawar refutes poll malpractice charges

MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 7: NCP MLA from Baramati, and nephew of NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar has refuted the allegations of electoral malp...

MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 7: NCP MLA from Baramati, and nephew of NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar has refuted the allegations of electoral malpractices in the election petition filed by one Ranjankumar Tawre in the Bombay High Court. In an affidavit given on Monday, Pawar has stated that the petitioner is actually a front put out by his opponent in the recent State elections, Chandrarao Tawre, who lost in the elections.

While the petitioner had presented himself to the court stating that they were the counting agents of Tawre and had filed the petition challenging the elections on the basis of information given to them, Pawar has contended that there is nothing on record to show them as counting agents and hence urged the court to dismiss the petition as being irresponsible.

Tawre had claimed in his petition that there was an improper reception of votes and a sudden change of place of the collection of ballot boxes to the Recreation Hall, MIDC Area, Baramati without any just and proper reason.

Thepetitioners had claimed that the ballot boxes contained a large number of ballot papers which did not have the requisite signatures of the presiding officers and ballot papers which had the same signatures polled at different polling booths, and that the volunteers of Tawre were threatened and not allowed to stay at the place where the ballot boxes were kept.

All these allegations have been denied by Pawar who has also denied that his family is an influential8217; one in Baramati and has submitted that the family is 8220;known for their political and social work in Baramati8221;.

On the change of venue, Pawar has stated that the parties were informed and all the legislative assembly constituencies under the Baramati Parliamentary constituency were taken for counting to the warehouse at Shivajinagar, Pune and there was no change in the venue or time of counting of the votes.

As for the change of site for reception of the ballot boxes, Pawar has stated that Baramati had received the highest rainfall for the entireyear on September 9 and 10. The returning officer as well as other high-powered officials had decided to receive the ballot boxes in the Recreation Hall, since it was a pucca structure and could be used for storage. Even here, he claims that all parties were notified about this change.

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The matter is to come up for hearing next on March 23.