Removing EVM: EC sues Jubo League leader

Police yesterday released a local Awami League leader in Chattogram's Boalkhali upazila, who was detained over a missing ballot unit of an Electronic Voting Machine from a polling centre during the by-polls to the upazila chairman post.

Ratan Chowdhury, president of AL's Jayshtapura union unit, detained Thursday afternoon, was released hours later after quizzing, said Abdur Razzak, officer-in-charge of Boalkhali Police Station.

"Ratan retrieved the machine and was going to return it. Law enforcers detained him on his way to the polling centre. He was released after quizzing," said the OC.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission yesterday filed a case against local Jubo League leader Nirmalendu Dey Sumon over the incident.

Sajal Das, presiding officer of the Jaystyapura Ramani Mohan High School polling centre, filed the case with the Boalkhali Police Station around 1:00am.

Nirmalendu, is the joint convener of Jubo League's Sreepur union unit, said Rafiqul Islam, the organisation's central presidium member.

"It was a totally unexpected incident. Our chairman and secretary general will look into it and take action as per the constitution of the organisation," Rafiqul Islam told The Daily Star.

According to the case statement, Jubo League leader Nirmalendu took with the EVM ballot unit from the polling centre yesterday afternoon during the by-polls.

Chattogram District Election Officer Jahangir Hossain said, "We have already filed a case against Nirmalendu and instructed police to take stern action over the incident."