Assam Poll Officials Caught On Camera With Postal Ballots; Probe Ordered

Two men with election commission cards are seen carrying what appears to be postal ballot papers, in a shocking video that has emerged from Assam on Thursday. An inquiry has been ordered after locals in Silchar - which went to polls on April 1- reported the matter to the authorities.

In the video taken at Assam's Barak Valley region, locals are seen questioning a man who was caught in possession of what appears to be postal ballot papers in the secrecy of night. The incident took place in Cachar district headquarters in Silchar last evening, according to the local media.

The district authorities have taken cognizance of the incident and have initiated an inquiry on the incident.

The locals first intercepted the men late on Thursday and tried to question but the officials tried to avoid their questions and attempted to escape, the locals informed the police.

The officials - identified as Biswajit Dey Purkayastha and Dipak Goswami - had gone to the residence of a voter to collect the ballot paper.

"A person named Sabyasachi Dutta of Silchar's Maulavi road received a ballot paper which was sent to him accidentally by election officials. On April 1, he went to polling station to cast his vote like any other citizen. Because he has already voted, there is no use of the ballot paper he received, so we have come here to collect it," the official, Biswajit Dey Purkayastha - who is senior assistant of postal ballot paper cell in Cachar district - is heard saying during the confrontation with the locals.

When asked whether he will cancel the ballot paper, Mr Purkayastha says: "I have been appointed to collect the paper and submit it to my higher officials. I am not authorised to cancel this."

However he refuses to name the higher official. "We all work under deputy commissioner and she is the ultimate authority," he says.

Reacting to the development, Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli confirmed to NDTV that they have initiated an inquiry.

Polling took place in Silchar on April 1 in the third and final phase of the state polls. The postal ballot must reach before the polls, according to the protocol.