Shiv Sena (UBT) claims forms filled in its name without authorisation for Rahata council

Mumbai, Nov 19 (PTI) The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday alleged that four nomination forms were filed for elections to the Rahata Municipal Council in the party's name without its authorisation, and the State Election Commission (SEC) was not taking any action in the matter.

Addressing a press conference, party MP Anil Desai said the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) are contesting the Rahata Municipal Council polls in Ahilyanagar district as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.

"We realised that four nominations were filed in our party's name using our B forms without the party authorising it," Desai said.

It was a clear case of forgery, he claimed.

The Sena (UBT) brought it to the notice of the State Election Commission before the scrutiny of the forms on Tuesday, yet these four forms were declared as valid, Desai said.

"Till now we have seen votes being stolen, but now B forms are being stolen," he added.

When party office bearers approached the local police station to file a complaint, even the police refused to cooperate, Desai alleged, adding that "this is happening under the pressure of one party." "There is no point in holding elections if polls are being rigged this way," Desai said, adding that the poll body should prove that it is not under any pressure.

Desai further said that according to the norms laid down by the SEC, a dummy candidate should have one proposer. However, when half the scrutiny was done on Tuesday, the poll body, in the middle of the poll process, came out with a new rule that dummy candidates will need five proposers each. PTI PR KRK