Elections LIVE | 58% turnout in Maharashtra, 67% in Jharkhand till 5 pm
Amid voting, Rs 60 lakh in cash seized in Chandrapur
A flying squad of the Election Commission on Wednesday seized Rs 60 lakh in the Rajura constituency in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, where assembly polls are underway.
Poll officials raided a house at Gadchandur and confiscated the cash and some campaign material, an official said.
Altogether, 17 candidates, including Deorao Bhongle of BJP and Congress nominee Subhash Dhote are in the fray in the Rajura assembly constituency.
The Income Tax authorities have also been informed about the seizure, the official added.
Rival candidates squabble in Nashik; officials say voting unaffected
A heated argument broke out on Wednesday between Shiv Sena candidate Suhas Kande and independent nominee Sameer Bhujbal over the identity of some voters at a polling centre in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, officials said.
Police and poll authorities later reached the spot, they said, adding the situation was in control and polling was not affected due to the incident.
Kande and Bhujbal, as well as their supporters, had a heated exchange of words at a polling centre in Nandgaon Assembly constituency after the independent candidate raised objection over the authenticity of some voters in the segment.
“The police and election observers reached the spot immediately and action has been initiated as per the Representation of the People Act,” Nashik Collector Jalaj Sharma said.
After the police’s intervention, one of the candidates left the place, he said.
“It is clear that polling officers check the identity of voters and then only allow them to vote,” the collector said.
“The incident has not affected the voting in any manner. The voting process is smooth at the polling centre,” Sharma added.
UP bypolls: EC takes action against cops for violating rules
Acting on complaints, the Election Commission on Wednesday ordered the suspension of police personnel violating its guidelines on checking of voters and stopping them from casting votes in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls, officials said.
This comes after SP president Akhilesh Yadav urged the EC to suspend all police officers who are checking voter cards and Aadhaar IDs on basis of video evidence.
Acting on the EC’s directions, district election officers and superintendents of police, after verifying the complaints, have suspended the police personnel for their conduct.
Voting is underway in nine assembly seats of Uttar Pradesh.