Shimla, May 24 -- After 50 ballot papers-pertaining to the post of pradhan -during the panchayat poll process in Bamta gram panchayat of Bilaspur district were found missing, the state election commission has declared the those ballot papers null and void with immediate effect. This order was issued by the state election commissioner, Anil Kumar Khachi. Providing details, the district election officer (panchayat) and Bilaspur deputy commissioner Rahul Kumar said that during the process of inscribing the candidates names of candidates for the post of pradhan in ward no. 1 (Jangal Sungal) of Bamta gram panchayat, 50 ballot papers were found to be missing. A detailed report regarding this matter wassent to the state poll commission. The DC further informed that this process was being conducted under the supervision of Dinesh Kumar, assistant professor at Government College Bilaspur, who was serving as the assistant returning officer. A first information report was lodged by the returning officer and the matter is currently under investigation by the police. In its order, the state election commission has clarified that, with the objective of preventing any potential misuse of themissing ballot papers, these papers have been declared invalid. In a similar accident, in ward no. 3 of Galu panchayat-which falls under the Chauntra Block of the Jogindernagar subdivision-30 ballot were found missing. Prior to this, two ballot papers disappeared in Solan and 50 in Sirmaur....