‘Deposit all ballot books to Registrar General’s office’

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court directed the election officer to deposit all ballot books to the Registrar General’s office till further order in connection with a plea regarding the High Court Bar Association elections which were recently held.

On behalf of the writ petitioner, it was submitted that a section of members while casting their votes discovered that the serial number of the concerned voter was depicted not only in the counter foil of the ballot paper which is returned to the voter but also in the ballot paper along with the name of the candidates. It was submitted that in such a situation, the identity of the voter would be disclosed and defeat the purpose of holding of the vote by secret ballot. Meanwhile, counsel representing the candidates submitted that the system followed is equivalent to that followed in the General Elections prior to the EVM process having set in. It was further submitted that in no way could the serial number be traced back to the voter and that the number had nothing to do with the membership numbers of the voters.

“Election Officer is directed to take in his custody all the ballot books from which the ballot paper have been torn out for the purpose of the present ongoing election, which carry signatures of the individual voters along with the serial numbers, and retain the same with him in sealed cover/box. The said sealed box/cover containing the said counter foils of the ballot books shall be deposited by the Election Officer to the Registrar General of the Court at the end of the election process, immediately after the completion of the polling process,” Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya directed.