"The counting of votes for Sitarganj by-election would begin tomorrow at 0800 hours at Rudrapur, the district headquarters of Udhamsingh Nagar district," Uttarakhand Chief Electoral Officer Radha Raturi said. The result of the by-election is expected to be declared by tomorrow afternoon, she added.
Prakash Pant, the BJP candidate from Sitarganj had yesterday formally lodged a complaint with the EC seeking an inquiry into the "bogus" voting and had sought withholding of the counting process till the completion of inquiry.
Following the complaint, the EC had ordered the District Magistrate of Udhamsingh Nagar to hold an inquiry into allegations by Pant.
"We have asked the Udhamsingh Nagar District Magistrate to inquire about the alleged bogus voting in Sitarganj as being reported in the media. We have also asked the DM to inquire as to whether an Uttar Pradesh MLA also voted yesterday in Sitarganj," said Raturi.
In his complaint, Pant said, "in the entire election process at Sitarganj, the state government has violated the election commission norms. Looking at the seriousness of the matter, the nomination of Vijay Bahuguna, a Congress candidate, should be cancelled and a detailed inquiry should be ordered".
Pant also alleged that Samajwadi Party MLA from Uttar Pradesh Prem Prakash Singh, who represents Barhaj seat of Devaria district, has cast his vote in Sitarganj in gross violations of the election norms.
The chief minister, who is not an MLA, must win from Sitarganj to continue in office as per legislative provisions.
