New Delhi:
The Election Commission (EC) today decided to write to the government seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of investigation (CBI) into the events that led to countermand of Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand recently.
The decision comes after the Jharkhand High Court asked the Commission to constitute a probe.
Sources in the Commission said a letter was being written to the Department of Personnel and Training for conducting a CBI probe in the RS poll which was countermanded because it was vitiated.
The Jharkhand High Court, while disposing of two petitions challenging the countermanding of the Rajya Sabha poll in the state, had asked the EC to conduct a thorough probe by an independent agency into the events that led to the countermanding of the poll.
The poll panel had countermanded the poll in the wake of allegations of use of money-power and "horse-trading" of MLAs ahead of the March 30 poll.
Huge cash was seized in Ranchi on the day of polling, after which the poll body concluded "the Commission is satisfied that the current election process for Rajya Sabha election from Jharkhand has been seriously vitiated and cannot be permitted to proceed."
The poll panel had recommended to President Pratibha Patil for countermand of the poll and rescinding of the notification in this regard, which had already been done.