Scrutiny of YC voter list begins today

Polls likely to begin from September 20

Raipur, August 27, 2012

The scrutiny of voter list for Youth Congress (YC) polls will begin from Tuesday and conclude on September 6, 2012. The YC election incharge Sachin Nayak and pradesh returning officer (PRO) Harpal Singh categorically said that all the claims and objections regarding membership would be accepted only till September 6. They indicated that the elections are likely to begin from September 20 from booth-level.

The election team is expected to announce the new executive bodies of YC at state, Lok Sabha and Assembly levels by second week of October 2012.

“During scrutiny, the Lok Sabha returning officers (LROs) will tour each of the Assembly areas of their respective assigned constituencies and eliminate shortcomings in the voter list,” the duo said.

“We will also renew the membership of the existing YC members during scrutiny period. For renewal, the members would have to produce the stipulated documents to the LROs, however, they would not be asked to fill the application form again,” they said.

When asked how the scrutiny teams would filter fake applicants who had filled wrong age details, the duo said such cases will be referred to organisation’s Foundation for Advanced Management of Elections (FAME). Notably, the age eligibility criteria to become a YC member is 18-35, but several cases underage or overage had been surfaced in the past.

“The organisation also checks entry of criminals by conducting scrutiny of applicants with criminal record by FAME,” they said adding that the organisation never considers applicants who are chargesheeted or face charges having provision of jail imprisonment of five years or more.

Asked about the preparation of the election team to maintain transparency and prevent candidates from squandering funds to increase their victory chances, the duo said no such practice would be tolerated.

“If evidence against any such candidate would be found correct, he or she would be immediately expelled,” they said pointing that the organisation did not even spare son of former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Veer Bhadra Singh during when he was found guilty of adopting prohibitive methods to win YC polls.