CEC Joti talks about vast discretionary powers of RO but keeps mum on overruling RO in RS poll

Ahmedabad: Chief Election Commissioner A K Joti today said that the Returning Officer would have all the authority to take a decision regarding any dispute during counting in the upcoming assembly election in Gujarat.

On being asked if the RO has all the power regarding using discretion during such disputes and was the competent authority to declare the result why the election commission rejected two votes during August 8 Rajyasabha election in Gujarat despite the said contrary view of the RO which paved the way for a narrow victory of Congress candidate Ahmed Patel, Joti initially said that it was a Rajyasabha election but soon changed his statement saying that the matter was now in the court and it was not proper for him to make a comment at this juncture.

Notably, in a high voltage mid night drama the EC had rejected two votes of the then Congress MLAs Raghavaji Patel and Bhola Gohil who had cross voted for the third BJP candidate Balwantsinh Rajput. It was alleged that they had shown their votes to BJP candidates.

The RO and assembly secretary had reportedly overruled the objection of Congress but the EC took up the matter and intervened at its own.

Joti in a press conference here today said that now that the matter has been admitted by the High Court for hearing. It won’t be proper for him to make a comment on the issue.

Rajput, who had lost owing to the cancellation of votes had moved HC challenging the ECI decision and demanding nullification of the victory of Patel.

DeshGujarat