Assam official found with postal ballots, probe on

GUWAHATI/SILCHAR, APRIL 9 (IANS): The administration in Assam's Cachar district is probing the incident in which two people, including a government employee involved in the election process, are seen in a social media video unauthorisedly carrying postal ballot papers, officials said on Friday.

Election officials in Guwahati said that Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli is now inquiring into the incident and she would soon submit a report to the election authorities.

Jalli said in the district headquarters in Cachar that strict action would be taken if the government employee in question is found guilty.

The official, identified as Biswajit Dey Purkayastha, had, according to the video, had gone to the residence of a voter to collect the postal ballot papers on Thursday night.

Caught by some people, he said that he was "asked to collect the postal ballot paper that was wrongly issued against a voter and submit it to the higher officials". However, he could not name the higher officials.