MEMBERS of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), in 1973, proceeded to remove ballot boxes from polling stations for “safekeeping.”The lives of Guyanese were lost protecting ballot boxes. A memorable incident is one that occurred at No. 63 Village, Corentyne. There, Jagan Ramessar, 17, and Bholanauth Parmanand, 25, were shot by soldiers while peacefully protesting the illegal removal of the ballot boxes from the place of poll at the end of voting.
International reports on the electoral process of that year have concluded that the 1973 polls were not free and fair.