Bilaspur May22
Days before the Panchayat elections in Himachal Pradesh, 50 ballot papers went missing in Bilaspur district, triggering panic in the administration and raising concerns over election security arrangements.
The incident came to light at Ambedkar Bhawan in Lakhanpur under Sadar subdivision, where ballot papers for the Panchayat elections were being prepared. During verification, officials found that 50 ballot papers related to the Pradhan post of Jangal Sungal Panchayat were missing from the records.
According to officials, ballot papers numbered 58001 to 58050 could not be traced during checking. The matter was immediately reported to senior administrative authorities, following which an investigation was launched.
Taking the issue seriously, the administration removed the concerned Assistant Returning Officer from election duty with immediate effect. An FIR has also been registered on the complaint of the BDO Sadar, and police have started a probe under relevant sections of the Representation of the People Act and other provisions.
Officials are now investigating whether the ballot papers went missing due to negligence or if there was any deliberate conspiracy behind the incident. Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer Rahul Kumar said the matter has been reported to the State Election Commission and further action will be taken as per its directions.
Notably, a similar case had recently surfaced in Solan’s Kunihar block, where two ballot papers reportedly went missing during election work and FIRs were lodged against eight employees.
