Aizawl, 29 May (PTI): Mizoram's Rajya Sabha MP K Vanlalvena has urged the Election Commission of India to allow 1,047 police personnel to cast their votes as they were away on poll-related duties in other states.
The police personnel failed to cast their votes at the time of elections to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram held on April 19 as they had gone to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on poll duty.
He alleged that the police personnel were denied their legitimate right to exercise their franchise.
The Mizoram MP said that the Mizoram police nodal officer had requested the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to make the necessary arrangements earlier, which was duly conveyed to the Election Commission.
However, the poll panel conveyed its regret to the state CEO that the police personnel could not be allowed to cast their votes citing "technical reasons," he said.
Meanwhile, the state election department said the CEO office on March 28 had written to the EC asking about the possibility of sending postal ballots to 12 companies of the State Armed Police Force (SAPF) at their duty places in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
The CEO office also sought permission for opening of felicitation centre for another 3 companies of SAPF, who were bound to leave for Madhya Pradesh on April 4, it said.
The Election Commission sent its reply on April 6 and said that postal ballots were not allowed to be sent to the police personnel at their duty places outside the state as they were required to exercise their franchise in a facilitation centre in their native state, it said.
Although the EC told the state election department to arrange facilitation centres for the personnel, no such arrangement could be made for 12 companies of SAPF due to the date of induction fixed by the Ministry of Home Affairs on April 1.
As the date of induction was fixed on April 1, the 12 companies have to leave for Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on March 28 and March 29, it said.
Subsequently, the state election department wrote to the Election Commission on April 23 requesting it to arrange voting facilities for 1,047 police personnel before June 4.
However, the poll panel rejected the request and informed the CEO office that the police personnel would not be able to exercise their voting rights as polling for Mizoram Lok Sabha seat was already held on April 19, the election department said.