The candidacy of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Awadh Ojha from Delhi's Patparganj constituency faces a significant hurdle. The issue stems from his voter registration, which has not been successfully transferred from Greater Noida to Delhi. AAP's national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, has raised concerns over the matter, alleging deliberate obstruction to prevent Ojha from contesting the elections.
Kejriwal claimed that Awadh Ojha had submitted Form 8 to transfer his voter registration to Delhi on January 7, the last date for submission according to the election commission's guidelines. However, within 24 hours, the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) revised the deadline, stating that the last date for voter transfer submissions was January 6. Kejriwal alleged that this change was a deliberate attempt to hinder Ojha's ability to contest from Patparganj.
The Sequence of Events
Explaining the timeline, Kejriwal stated that Ojha's voter registration was originally in Greater Noida. To register as a voter in Delhi, he initially submitted Form 6 on December 26, 2023. After receiving no response, he learned that Form 8 was required for voter transfer. Ojha subsequently submitted Form 8 on January 7.
According to the election commission's manual, voters can submit Forms 6, 7, and 8 up to ten days before the nomination deadline. For this election, that date was January 7. The Delhi CEO initially adhered to this rule but reversed the order within 24 hours, claiming the last date for submission was January 6.
Kejriwal pointed out that the election commission's manual allows consideration of voter transfer applications even after the deadline in special cases. He emphasized that this was not just an ordinary case but one that directly affected the democratic process by potentially barring a candidate from contesting.
Meeting with the Election Commission
Kejriwal announced plans to meet the Chief Election Commissioner at 3 PM today to discuss the matter. He intends to request an intervention to facilitate Ojha's voter transfer, ensuring that he can file his nomination and participate in the elections from Patparganj.
Political Implications
This issue has sparked a political controversy, with Kejriwal accusing the authorities of deliberately targeting AAP candidates. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the Patparganj constituency and the broader election process.
The matter remains unresolved, and all eyes are now on the Election Commission’s response to Kejriwal’s appeal.
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