The Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday alleged 62 incidents of booth capturing by ruling Congress workers during the polling to Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis.

Addressing a Press conference, SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema and former minister Bikram Majithia said the SAD would approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court over denial of the right to vote an contest polls in the elections held on Wednesday.

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Former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at Muktsar alleged a large number of Congress workers, brandishing swords, were involved in booth capturing. He accused the police of being mute spectator.

“Booth capturing is taking place and as an MLA I will not tolerate this in my area. Police was not performing its duty. What kind of elections were these, where booths were captured and nomination papers of Akalis rejected,” he asked? Further, the SAD alleged bogus votes were polled at some locations and cases were registered against Akali candidates under the SC Act, mostly in the Majha region.

They alleged in Dera Bassi, the presiding officer in Amalala himself got ballot papers stamped in favour of Congress candidates. A packet was seized from his possession by the Akali polling agent, they said.

“In Dhuri, the presiding officer closed down the booth and started stamping the ballot papers in favour of Congress candidates. This happened in Kumbarwar under block samiti Sherpur,” they claimed.

Replying to queries about a video of Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal’s security guards charging at some persons at Killianwali going viral, Majithia said they were trying to catch those who were capturing the booths in the village. They were seen capturing the village booth, he added.

The Akali Dal claimed papers of 249 of their candidates were rejected. In Makhu, Zira, Guru Harsahai and Patti and Dera Baba Nanak, either SAD candidates were not allowed to file nominations or Congressmen snatched their papers and ran away, it alleged.

Former Punjab CM Badal, who was among the firsts to cast his vote at Badal village, alleged that they were getting reports of booth-capturing by the Congress workers from some places in the state with the collusion of the local administration. However, the administration refuted the allegations.