Gujarat: ‘BJP stationery’ to EVM glue, Congress complaints pour in about poll misconduct

The Gujarat Congress has registered multiple complaints of poll irregularities during the voting for 25 Lok Sabha seats across the state in the third phase of general elections on May 7.

In a polling station in Sector 9 of Gandhinagar constituency, presiding officers were reportedly using pens and notebooks bearing the BJP’s party symbol (lotus) and photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Shaktisinh Gohil, who voted at this booth, later filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC).

Stationery with BJP symbol

“When I arrived at the Sector 19 polling booth to cast my vote, I saw the residing officers using stationery with the BJP’s party symbol. Adding to that, a BJP polling agent was sitting inside with a pen bearing a lotus symbol. It is against the law for anyone to sit inside the polling booth with an election symbol. But our party workers found that in multiple booths across the state. BJP representatives were sitting inside booths with pens bearing a lotus symbol and photo of a BJP leader,” Gohil told The Federal.

He claimed that “fearing defeat”, the ruling party had “resorted to securing votes through money and power”. He also alleged that Congress booth workers in Jamnagar were detained by the local crime branch “for no reason” and the voting process was disrupted in Vasan village under the Gandhinagar constituency “after it became clear that people were voting in favour of the Congress”. He claimed the EC has taken no action so far.

GPCC complaint

The GPCC also wrote a letter to the EC, lodging a formal complaint in the matter.

“It is to draw attention to the violation of using materials and pens, bearing symbols of the BJP, by the polling agents and officers working in the polling booth in the entire state of Gujarat, where election is in process. The pens have a picture or symbol of the BJP party and the same is being used within the polling booth. Each and every polling booth is decorated with flags and torans with the symbol of the BJP. It is a clear-cut violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Above mentioned corrupt practice adopted by the BJP to influence the election process (sic),” read the letter.

Threats to voters

In another complaint filed by the GPCC, the party alleged that “some anti-social elements prevented minority voters from casting their votes in the polling station of Bhata School of 42-Vejalpur Assembly seat in Gandhinagar seat and threatened minority voters in Rotary Nagar in Morbi in Kutch seat, asking them to not vote”.

In Banaskantha, Congress workers from the team of candidate Geniben Thakor claimed to have found some youths using fake police plates on their vehicles outside the polling station in Siawada village of Danta taluka and “coercing voters” to support the BJP.

“Some of my workers called me after finding some police officials asking people to vote for the BJP and threatening them with false cases if they didn’t comply. When I went to the local police station to complain, the police found that those men were not real policemen,” said Thakor.

No arrests have been made in the matter yet.

Missing voter names

In Vadodara, Kalpesh Patel, Congress district general secretary and election agent, wrote a formal letter to the district election officer claiming that the names of several voters were missing from the lists in polling booths in the Raopura and Vadodara Assembly constituencies.

“In the Daliawadi polling station in 144-Raopura Assembly and Adarsh School polling station in 141 Vadodara City Assembly, names of several voters were missing from the electoral rolls. Despite having voter cards, they could not vote. Those who turned up at the polling centres to cast their votes returned disappointed,” Patel stated in the letter.

Besides these, six FIRs were registered regarding faulty EVMs, including one in Gandhinagar constituency where the Congress’s symbol button was allegedly disabled using instant glue.

Responding to the complaints, Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P Bharathi told the media that she has taken note of the incidents and appropriate action will be taken.