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EC orders re-polling at Faridabad station after poll agent arrested for booth capture

The matter was brought to the notice of the poll officials after a video of the alleged booth capture went viral on social media.

EC orders re-polling at Faridabad station after poll agent arrested for booth capture

(Photo: Twitter videoscreengrab | @Paul_Koshy)

The Election Commission (EC) on Monday ordered repolling at a polling station in Faridabad Lok Sabha seat on May 19 after an election agent was arrested for allegedly trying to influence voters on Sunday during the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls.

The re-poll will be held at the polling station in Prithla assembly segment of the constituency.

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Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa confirmed that the person was arrested on Sunday afternoon and an FIR has been filed.

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The matter was brought to the notice of the poll officials after a video of the alleged booth capture went viral on social media.

In the video, a man in blue t-shirt is seen sitting at his table inside a polling booth at Asaoti in Faridabad Lok Sabha seat’s Prithla. A few women can be seen lined up for casting their vote. The man then walks up to the voting compartment as a woman prepares to cast her vote and appears to press a button on the voting machine before returning to his seat. He does the same with two other women.

A woman involved in the incident told NDTV that polling agent Giriraj Singh had instructed her to press the button next to the BJP’s electoral symbol.

The Election Commission said that Ashok Kumar Garg IAS has been posted by the Commission as new Returning Officer of Faridabad parliamentary constituency. He has been directed to join at Faridabad by forenoon on Tuesday.

It said that “a complaint of violation of secrecy of voting was reported from polling station number 88 Asaoti of Prithla assembly constituency segment”.

“On inquiry by the Observer, the complaint was found to be true. The Commission has therefore ordered a fresh poll at this polling station on May 19, 2019,” the EC said in a statement.

It said that an FIR was lodged against the polling agent Giriraj Singh.

The presiding officer Amit Atri has been placed under suspension for the dereliction of duty and criminal action is also being initiated against him.

The commission said that micro observer Sonal Gulati has not reported the incident correctly for which she has been from any election-related work for three years.

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