Shillong, Dec 10: With the law and order in militants’ infested Garo hills region taking a nosedive, the United Democratic Party (UDP) president Donkupar Roy said if militants are involved in the election process it will be difficult to have free and fair elections.
“The question of having a free and fair election will not be there if militant groups are involved in the electioneering process,” Roy told reporters Monday during a news conference.
Congress working president Deborah Marak and Meghalaya Rural & Community minister Saleng Sangma have already faced the ire of the militant groups- ANVC(B) and GNLA- as both these politicians had been attacked.
Even as Roy termed the attacks on the two political leaders as “unfortunate” he said, “We do not subscribe to such attacks and government should ensure that such incidents do not take place in the future.”
Roy, however, said that none of the UDP leaders or legislators from Garo hills have received such threats from any of the militant groups. He hoped the government will ensure that all necessary steps are being taken for holding a free and fair election.
Meanwhile, the party is demanding that the government should consider reverting to old ‘secret ballot’ system in the upcoming polls in the state saying that it has no confident on the EVMs machines.
“We have written to the Election Commission and the State Chief Election Officer on the matter and we are waiting for their response,” Roy said.
Justifying its demand for a secret ballot system Roy informed there is lot of controversies surrounding the EVMs and many complaints against the machine as in many constituencies candidates tipped to win have lost.
The UDP also suggested to the government to first test the EVMs before using it in the polls to ensure that these machines can be trusted besides training the polling agents on how to operate them.- By Our Reporter
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