Voting for single-phase Maharashtra assembly election begins
Voting began at 7 am on Wednesday for the single-phase Maharashtra assembly elections and will conclude at 6 pm. Polling is taking place across 288 assembly constituencies.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot has demanded a judicial inquiry into the recent SDM slapping incident at Samarvata village during the November 13 bypoll in Rajasthan.
He returned here Tuesday evening after concluding his prolonged election campaign for Maharashtra assembly polls, expressed dissatisfaction over the state government’s move of holding the inquiry by the Ajmer Divisional Commissioner and said that it seemed strange that an officer would probe the act and actions of the fellow officers.
He said an earlier impression was given that a judicial probe would be ordered, “however, now they say inquiry would be conducted by the Division Commissioner.”
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“I wonder why it has changed who they want to save. I want to know whether this act (violence) was intentional at somebody’s behest.
He also deplored the police action in this connection and said that the cops acted in a targeted manner, damaged houses of (targeted) villagers and set afire the vehicles.
Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena had announced the decision about an inquiry by the Divisional Commissioner, in the presence of Cabinet Minister Kanhaiya Lal Chaudhary and MoS Home Jawahar Singh Bedham.
Meena said, “Consensus has also been reached with a delegation of the Samaravata village in respect of main demands. Accordingly, five gram panchayats, including Samaravata, will be detached from the Deoli sub division for merging with the Uniara sub division.”
This demand was the bone of contention that led to calls for boycott of voting in by-polls and ugly incidence of SDM slapping at the polling booth that later triggered violence.
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