List of bogus voters in Kaithal under judicial radar

CHANDIGARH: Taking cognizance of allegations about manipulations to include bogus names in the voters list in Kaithal assembly constituency in connivance with local authorities, the Punjab and Haryana high court has issued notices to the Election Commission, Haryana chief electoral officer (CEO) and DGP to file their replies on the issue. The constituency is presently represented by senior Congress leader and state cabinet minister Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Through a petition, Paras Mittal, resident of Kaithal, had sought directions for resurvey of electoral rolls of the constituency and registration of an FIR against bogus voters and officials of the district administration.
According to Mittal, he had supplied a list of 10,800 bogus voters to the electoral registration officer (ERO), Kaithal, in May and requested him to delete these names from the electoral rolls of 2014.
Acting on his request, names of 7,447 bogus voters were removed from the list on May 6. The petitioner also claimed to have a list of voters whose names were deleted from the rolls.
Despite the petitioner's request for registration of an FIR against those involved in preparing bogus votes, no action was taken by the state government. All bogus voters are in Narwana assembly constituency, which was earlier represented by Surjewala, he said.
It was further alleged that more than 10,000 persons had recently applied online for registration as voters in the Haryana assembly constituency number 17 (Kaithal), out of which around 8,000 could be bogus, but the ERO hurriedly registered them without verification about their age and place of residence.
Without naming anybody, the petitioner also sought directions to Haryana government and Kaithal superintendent of police (SP) to register an FIR under various sections of IPC for criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and other offences against bogus voters and officers/officials who conspired with them, and thoroughly investigate the matter to apprehend the mastermind who committed the offence in such an organized manner.
The case has been fixed for September 2 for further hearing.
Allegations:
Influential persons of Congress party in Kaithal town got enrolled more than 10,000 bogus and double votes.
Neither genuine identification (ID) cards nor ration cards were submitted by such applicants while registering as voters.
Most bogus voters are residents of Narwana constituency.
Officers of electoral office and food and supplies department in Kaithal allegedly connived with political leaders to make bogus votes.
7,447 bogus voters were deleted on May 6 on the basis of complaint.
CEC asks Haryana CEO to probe
The matter related to fake/bogus voters' list in Kaithal was also brought to the notice of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) V S Sampath during his visit to Chandigarh on July 31. Sources confirmed to TOI that the CEC had sent a communication last week to Haryana CEO to consider the matter of bogus voters' list on priority and take action.