Minister’s car at college housing EVMs raises eyebrows

Tribune News Service
Mohali, February 15

High drama was witnessed at Kharar when the car of Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi dropped a woman at a college in Khunimajra village where electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been kept for the counting of votes for the Kharar Municipal Council.

As soon as candidates contesting the elections learnt about this, they held a protest demanding that the woman should be asked to leave the college.

Channi clears the air

Cabinet Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said his niece was teaching in the college and his brother’s car had dropped her on the college premises. He said the protesters had unnecessarily raised a hue and cry.

Candidates Harjit Singh Ganja, Malagar Singh, Maan Singh Manna and others said since no one was allowed to go around the strongroom, how come a woman was allowed to enter the college premises.

Tehsildar Gurmandar Singh visited the spot and took the protesting candidates with him inside and showed them the strongroom where the EVMs have been kept. The Tehsildar said the woman was a teacher and her husband had come to drop her. However, the protesters did not relent.

SDM Himanshu Jain told the candidates that the administration was working in an impartial manner. He said the candidates could install their CCTV cameras inside, if they wanted. He said CCTV cameras had already been installed in the room and a team of 11 persons was guarding it. He said if the candidates wanted, the CCTV recording could be provided to them. After this, the protesters ended their dharna.