Ladakh candidate alleges malpractice by Army officers in postal ballots

In a serious allegation, the candidate from 4-Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday registered a complaint that there are malpractices on part of various commanding officers of the Indian Army in the electronic postal ballot system. Following this, the district election officer of Leh wrote a letter to the Army.

In the complaint, a candidate for the 4-Ladakh constituency alleged malpractices during the May 6 voting. According to the allegations, the commanding officers had telephonically asked jawans for their voting preference rather than supplying to them the ballot paper for casting the vote.

In the letter to the General Officer in Command of Leh-based XIV corps, Anvy Lavasa said that it is "a gross violation of the secrecy of voting and malpractice that has the potential to invite strict legal action", adding that the concerned officers should be sensitised about the issue.

"A complaint has been received from a contesting candidate for the 4-Ladakh Parliamentary Constituency for the Lok Sabha elections, 2019, wherein it is alleged that there are malpractices on part of various commanding officers of the Indian Army in the electronic postal ballot system. It is alleged that the commanding officers are telephonically asking jawans for their voting preference rather than supplying to them the ballot paper for casting his vote," read the letter.

"This is a gross violation of the secrecy of voting and malpractice that has the potential to invite strict legal action. In this context, it is requested that all the concerned officers may be sensitised about the issue and the sanctity of the election process maintained," further read the letter.

Ladakh went to polls on May 6 and XIV Corps of the army mans Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.