ITANAGAR, 24 Nov: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has lodged a complaint with the State Election Commission (SEC), alleging widespread electoral malpractices, including the use of money and muscle power, and gross misuse of administrative machinery in the ongoing preparations for the panchayati raj and municipality elections.
The APCC stated that it has received alarming reports from the public, media platforms, and on-ground observers that the forthcoming local body elections may become one of the most compromised electoral processes in the state’s history.
Alleging large-scale cash-for-vote activities, the party stated that credible reports indicate that voters are being offered substantial cash amounts, distorting the free and fair nature of elections.
It also alleged forced surrender of voter ID cards.
“Voters accepting money are being coerced into handing over voter IDs or documents as ‘security’, which violates their constitutional rights,” the party alleged.
It stated that misuse of surrendered voter IDs is enabling proxy voting, violating the law and compromising the secret ballot system.
The party alleged conversion of elections into a ‘barter system’.
“Votes are being exchanged for cash, liquor, ration, consumer goods, and other inducements, destroying democratic values,” it said, adding that in several areas, voters are being openly “bid for,” commercialising democracy and breeding corruption.
The party also alleged intimidation, threats, and coercion.
“Vulnerable voters are being threatened or pressured to support particular candidates, creating fear and insecurity,” it said.
Further, the party alleged that administrative influence, public vehicles, and government resources are being misused to benefit candidates aligned with the ruling party.
“Apprehensions of group voting, forced voting, and potential booth capturing have raised concerns for polling day security. These unethical activities risk triggering local conflicts and disturbing peace in both rural and urban pockets,” the APCC said.
The party added: “Such malpractices constitute direct attacks on democratic norms and violate the right of every citizen to cast a free and fair vote and severely undermine the integrity of democracy and the sanctity of the ballot.”
It stated that “elections meant to be grassroots-driven have now turned into one of the costliest and most unethical election exercises, dominated by reckless cash distribution, vote-buying, mass feasts, and the use of public resources for personal political gain. Money power has overshadowed ideology, and democratic choice is being converted into a mere transaction.”
The APCC also raised serious concern over “systematic misuse of government machinery,”wherein, it said, police personnel, administrative officers, and local officials are being pressured to act in favour of ruling party candidates.
“Officers who uphold neutrality are reportedly subjected to transfers, intimidation, or administrative harassment. This has resulted in the field administration functioning as an extension of the ruling party during election season,” the party stated.
The APCC demanded that the SE safeguard the sanctity of the electoral process, and called for immediate and decisive action, including a thorough inquiry into all reported malpractices, issuing of strict instructions to officers and police authorities to curb cash distribution and manipulation, issuing of clear directives to prevent impersonation, and ensuring that no individual votes on behalf of another.
Additionally, the APCC demanded deployment of adequate security personnel at all sensitive and hypersensitive areas, strict enforcement of the model code of conduct and provisions of the Representation of the People Act, strengthened surveillance through flying squads, static surveillance teams, video monitoring, and checkpoints, establishment of a confidential citizen helpline for reporting electoral violations, and initiation of stern punitive action against any candidate, agent, or official found guilty of malpractice.
The party urged the commission to act swiftly and assertively to protect the democratic spirit of the panchayati raj and municipality elections, and to restore public confidence in the electoral system.
