A BJP leader’s son and a polling agent were arrested on Wednesday after the former live streamed a video from inside a polling booth in Gujarat’s Dahod on Tuesday, when polling was held for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections. Repoll has been ordered in the booth on May 11.
Vijay Bhabhor, BJP leader Ramesh Bhabhor’s son, live streamed the polling on his Instagram handle. He reportedly tampered with the EVM and indulged in booth capturing. The video, which has gone viral, shows Bhabhor using abusive language as he voted. A polling agent was seen encouraging him, while the staff at the booth was appealing to both of them to remain calm.
Bogus voting
In the video, Vijay Bhabhor is seen saying that this machine belongs to his father (EVM mere baap ka hai). He is seen pressing the button in place of voters and saying that the voting is done. He is also seen asking people who voted to go back. Bhabhor also talks about going home with the EVM. Despite the ban on taking mobile phones to polling booths, he had arrived with a mobile phone and made a video with the EVM and was seen playing with the EVM like a toy.
Later, a video showed Vijay Bhabhor in police custody. Police sources confirmed that action had been taken against Bhabhor junior.
While BJP leaders avoided speaking on the controversy, Congress’s Dahod choice and former MP, Prabha Taviyad, filed a complaint with the state election authorities and demanded fresh polling for the Lok Sabha seat.
Congress’s Gujarat spokesperson, Manish Doshi, alleged that there were several complaints of voters being stopped from entering booths at different places. He had sought a report on the matter from the local officials of the Election Commission, he added.
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