From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld News Network

Panaji, Feb 17: With majority of postal ballots yet to be received, state chief electoral officer has warned the political parties and the candidates against 'pressurizing government servants'

Chief electoral office located at Altinho here has received hardly 3,300 postal ballots out of a total 17,500 which were dispatched to government servants and others who were unable to vote due to their duties.

“Allegations are made by several people including representatives of political parties and the candidates that government servants who have been issued postal ballot papers have been pressurized by some of the candidates to cast vote in their favour,” additional chief electoral officer Narayan Navti said in a communiqué released yesterday.

“Such votes are alleged to be purchased for hefty sums from the persons who have been issued postal ballots,” Navati alleged.

The officer said that the chief electoral officer had convened a special meeting on February 15 cautioning representatives of political parties on rumours that candidates are approaching the holders of postal ballots and bribing such officials for casting postal ballots in their favour undermining secrecy and purity of voting.

“The representatives of political parties were instructed to bring such instances to the notice of the chief electoral office. It was emphasized that giving and taking bribe is punishable,” he added.