Polling officials arrested over rigging in Assam
Guwahati, April 26 (IANS): Two days after the final phase of the Lok Sabha polls in Assam, police Saturday arrested six people, including the presiding officer, four colleagues and a polling agent of a political party, over allegations of casting of votes under influence, officials said. The incident of rigging took place at polling station No.35 at Bornijora L.P. School in Jalukbari assembly segment of the Gauhati Lok Sabha constituency. Re-polling in the booth will be held Monday, according to the orders of the Election Commission. According to the allegations, the polling officials had allowed the agent Bimal Boro to press the button of the electronic voting machines (EVM) for other electors. The controversy came to the fore Saturday after a local TV channel showed visuals that the election agent was pressing the EVM button himself for several voters. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) Saturday lodged formal complaints in this regard with the state chief electoral officer (CEO). "We have received formal complaints in this regard. Already a case has been registered against the five polling officials and the election agent in Bornijora polling station," said Assam CEO Vijayendra. "They have been arrested and interrogation is on," he said. The Election Commission also ordered re-poling in 15 polling stations in Kokrajhar, Gauhati, Mangaldai and Nowgong constituencies, which will be held April 27.
Arunachal Pradesh poll official's family refuses to accept ex-gratia
Itanagar, April 26 (PTI): Family of Mathew Dabi, who died while on polling duty during the April 9 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in East Siang district, refused to accept an ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh granted by the Election Commission as an immediate relief. Bater Lollen Dabi, wife of the deceased refused to accept the ex-gratia payment yesterday on the ground that there was no conclusion to the case yet, family sources informed in a statement today. The relief money would only be accepted after the final closure of the case and those responsible for Dabi's death were arrested and punished, it said. Dabi's family also condemned the statement made by East Siang SP claiming that there were no major, external or stab-injuries on the body of the deceased. They also questioned the police report which stated that Dabi was under the influence of alcohol when he was discharging poll duty on April 9. Assistant teacher Mathew went missing from Siine village under Pangin Assembly constituency on April 9 last where he was deputed as polling official. Police recovered his body from a deep gorge near Siine village on April 17, eight days after he went missing.
Mizoram to get its first medical college soon
Aizawl, April 26 (IANS): A 100-seat medical college will come up soon in the northeastern state of Mizoram, an official said here Saturday. "Mizoram government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the union health ministry recently to set up the first ever medical college in the state," a Mizoram health department official told reporters. He said the proposed medical college would be on the lines of the 300-bed Mizoram civil hospital here. The civil hospital was set up in 1896 with a bed strength of 12. "A project of Rs.45 crore has been finalised to set up the medical college and upgrade the Mizoram civil hospital," said the official. Efforts are also underway to establish a tertiary cancer care centre in Zemabawk area on the outskirts of Aizawl city, the official added. Currently there are five medical colleges in Assam followed by two each in Tripura and Manipur besides a postgraduate medical institute in Meghalaya in the northeastern region.
Guwahati, April 26 (IANS): Two days after the final phase of the Lok Sabha polls in Assam, police Saturday arrested six people, including the presiding officer, four colleagues and a polling agent of a political party, over allegations of casting of votes under influence, officials said. The incident of rigging took place at polling station No.35 at Bornijora L.P. School in Jalukbari assembly segment of the Gauhati Lok Sabha constituency. Re-polling in the booth will be held Monday, according to the orders of the Election Commission. According to the allegations, the polling officials had allowed the agent Bimal Boro to press the button of the electronic voting machines (EVM) for other electors. The controversy came to the fore Saturday after a local TV channel showed visuals that the election agent was pressing the EVM button himself for several voters. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) Saturday lodged formal complaints in this regard with the state chief electoral officer (CEO). "We have received formal complaints in this regard. Already a case has been registered against the five polling officials and the election agent in Bornijora polling station," said Assam CEO Vijayendra. "They have been arrested and interrogation is on," he said. The Election Commission also ordered re-poling in 15 polling stations in Kokrajhar, Gauhati, Mangaldai and Nowgong constituencies, which will be held April 27.
Arunachal Pradesh poll official's family refuses to accept ex-gratia
Itanagar, April 26 (PTI): Family of Mathew Dabi, who died while on polling duty during the April 9 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in East Siang district, refused to accept an ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh granted by the Election Commission as an immediate relief. Bater Lollen Dabi, wife of the deceased refused to accept the ex-gratia payment yesterday on the ground that there was no conclusion to the case yet, family sources informed in a statement today. The relief money would only be accepted after the final closure of the case and those responsible for Dabi's death were arrested and punished, it said. Dabi's family also condemned the statement made by East Siang SP claiming that there were no major, external or stab-injuries on the body of the deceased. They also questioned the police report which stated that Dabi was under the influence of alcohol when he was discharging poll duty on April 9. Assistant teacher Mathew went missing from Siine village under Pangin Assembly constituency on April 9 last where he was deputed as polling official. Police recovered his body from a deep gorge near Siine village on April 17, eight days after he went missing.
Mizoram to get its first medical college soon
Aizawl, April 26 (IANS): A 100-seat medical college will come up soon in the northeastern state of Mizoram, an official said here Saturday. "Mizoram government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the union health ministry recently to set up the first ever medical college in the state," a Mizoram health department official told reporters. He said the proposed medical college would be on the lines of the 300-bed Mizoram civil hospital here. The civil hospital was set up in 1896 with a bed strength of 12. "A project of Rs.45 crore has been finalised to set up the medical college and upgrade the Mizoram civil hospital," said the official. Efforts are also underway to establish a tertiary cancer care centre in Zemabawk area on the outskirts of Aizawl city, the official added. Currently there are five medical colleges in Assam followed by two each in Tripura and Manipur besides a postgraduate medical institute in Meghalaya in the northeastern region.
