The administrations in Rajgarh and Bhind districts of Madhya Pradesh have imposed heavy fines on people who indulged in violence during the ongoing panchayat elections and warned of bulldozers action against their illegal properties if they failed to pay the penalty, an official said on Friday. The authorities in Bhind district have issued notices to four persons involved in snatching ballots, forcibly putting seals on ballot papers and putting them in the ballot boxes to disrupt the polling process during the first phase of the panchayat elections held on June 25, he said.
Due to these acts, re-polling was held in these booths and the government had to spend Rs 5.02 lakh on the salaries of the polling staff, arranging for food, tents, electricity, diesel, coolers, fans, drinking water and videography of the entire process, the notice issued the Lahar sub-divisional magistrate stated.
The notice was issued against Ajay Singh, Dharmendra Singh, Sourabh Chouhan and Rampratap Singh by the SDM on June 27. They were directed to pay the fine soon and were warned that illegal constructions in their houses will be demolished to recover the cost that the government spent on re-polling, SDM Lahar R A Prajapati said.
Similarly, the district administration in Rajgarh has imposed a total fine of over Rs 1 crore on 16 persons for disrupting the polling process by looting ballot boxes, an official said. A fine of Rs 6.52 lakh each was imposed on 16 accused persons during the polling on June 25, he said.
The notices were issued by the Rajgarh’s sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) against these 16 persons for looting ballot boxes, attacking polling parties, pelting stones and snatching ballot boxes among others, the official said, adding that the administration is also gearing up to demolish their illegal constructions.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News, watch Top Videos and Live TV here.