The Times of India News Service

PATNA: Samata Legislature Party leader in the state assembly, Umashankar Singh, charged the state government with indulging in unfair means during the just-concluded panchayat elections, which were held after a gap of 22 years. He also flayed the recent amendment made in the reservation policy of the government.

Addressing mediapersons here on Friday he said that even upper caste persons belonging to financially weaker sections of society should be given reservation. "They should be given reservation between 5 to 10 per cent. Apart from this, the government should also give reservation to the Muslims. What the Rabri government has done is not right and is totally against upper classes and the poor," said Singh

As for the panchayat elections, he said the state authorities tried to take advantage of the Supreme Court and High Court judgments and on that pretext did not give adequate reservation in panchayat elections. Had they wanted to do it, they could have promulgated an ordinance for the same.

Strongly criticising the state authorities, Singh said that they had rigged the polls and were now trying to bring pressure on the election authorities. He felt that even the State Election Commission (SEC) had not been fair. "In many cases they allowed counting where 98 per cent votes had been cast and in some where voting was 95 per cent the matter was reported to the SEC. This was deliberate. The SEC was also acting under pressure. The People's Representation Act does not say that such votes will not be counted. Can't all the people of a particular panchayat if they are surviving not vote?" he asked.