GCC polls: Irregularities at some centres alleged

Allegations of irregularities including stuffing ballot papers and violation of electoral rules have surfaced  at different polling centres in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) elections which ended this afternoon.

Meanwhile, at many polling centres, polling agents for BNP mayoral aspirant were not seen.

Stuffing ballot papers

At MAH Arif College polling centre in Konabari this morning, our staff correspondent saw a group of people were stuffing ballot papers there.

When asked what they are doing at the centre, they claimed that they are AL supporters and one Selim told the correspondent that voting takes place in this manner.

Identifying the group as voters Mahmudul Amin, presiding officer at the poling centre, said that they will go away.

There were no polling agents for BNP mayoral aspirant at the centre.

By 10:00am, out of 2010 votes, 282 were cast but the correspondent saw few voters in front of the booths in that time.  

At Shaheed Smriti High School polling centre in Joydevpur around 20 people were seen stuffing ballot papers with boat symbol around 11:45am. Polling agents for BNP mayor candidate were not found at the centre that time.

Presiding Officer Kafil Uddin Bhuyan told our staff correspondent that illegally stuffed ballot papers were cancelled.

Later law enforcers drove the group of people away.

No BNP agents

At Kolomeshwar Government Primary School polling centre in Sadar upazila, no BNP polling agents were seen but dozens of AL mayoral candidate supporters were found going inside the centre  and later gathering at the premises chanting slogans.

Presiding Officer Kawser Ahmed said that the AL supporters had been driven away by a striking force once in the morning, but they came again. They will call the striking force again, he said.

About the absence of BNP mayor candidate's agents, the presiding officer said that they did not allow the agents as they did not bring proper documents with them.

Contradicting Ahmed's statement, BNP mayoral aspirant Hasan Uddin Sarker alleged that his agents were driven out of the polling centre.

At Noagaon MA Majid Mia High School, no polling agents were seen as well.

When asked why no BNP polling agents were at the polling station, Presiding Officer Md Rafikul Islam said “No polling agents of BNP came since voting started in the morning.”

Meanwhile, Nurujjaman Talukder, deputy chief coordinator of the Election Commission while visiting the centre told The Daily Star that so far he has visited 12 polling centres and in two centres he did not find any agents of BNP.

“Rigging is not possible here as presiding officer, polling officer and the law enforcers are very alert at this centre,” Local lawmaker, Jahid Hasan Rasel said after casting his vote at the centre around 10:57am.

At Komoleshwar Rokeya Girls High School and Komoleshwar Government Primary School polling centres, no BNP polling agents were seen either.

A large number of young men were seen at the polling centres. Our reporter stationed at the Komoleshwar Rokeya Girls High School polling centre, saw people casting fake votes using the names of other voters.

Less voters

At the Deo Ali Bari polling station at Gazipur’s Konabari area, voter turnout was noticeably poor till 9:10am today, around an hour after the voting began, our reporter said from the spot.

“Only one voter was seen casting his vote in a booth while the four other booths were seen empty at 9:10am,” reports our correspondent.

Presiding Officer Hakimul Islam said there are 2510 voters at the polling centre.

“Since morning the highest number of votes cast in a single booth among the five was only 46,” the presiding officer told The Daily Star.

When asked about the reason behind the poor turnout of voters in the centre, Hakimul said they can’t think of any reason but hoped it will increase around noon.

Talking about the absence of BNP agents with our correspondent, Hakimul said, “They came in the morning but have gone now. I don’t know why.”

Meanwhile, outsiders carrying placards of Boat symbol were seen entering the polling station.

When our correspondent reported the incident to the presiding officer, he said they had just noticed the occurrence and would take actions about it.

Violation of electoral rules

A number of Awami League polling agents were seen working inside a polling centre wearing badges with the ‘Boat’ symbol in Bymile area of the city, which is a violation of electoral code of conduct.

The agents were seen working inside several booths wearing the badges at no. 79 Bymile Government Primary School around 11:00am, our staff correspondent reports from the spot.

Contacted, Presiding Officer Md Omar Faruk told The Daily Star that a magistrate, visiting the centre, seized the badges from the Awami League agents. He also assured of taking action if such irregularities are found.

Meanwhile, Md Arafat, another presiding officer, said stern actions will be taken if such anomalies were found.

In the meantime, Awami League polling agents were seen providing food and cold water to the policemen deployed in the area.