Bogus voting allegations, glitches mark Haryana civic polls

Sonipat/Rewari/Jhajjar: Haryana's civic polls on Sunday witnessed allegations of bogus voting, poor polling arrangements and clashes in several districts, even as authorities maintained that polling remained largely peaceful.Voting was held for 528 posts across three municipal corporations, one municipal council, two municipal committees and several panchayat institutions. The state recorded around 54% polling, with Rohtak registering the highest turnout and Sonipat the lowest.One of the major controversies surfaced in Sonipat Municipal Corporation's Ward No. 17, where three voters alleged that their votes had already been cast before they reached Booth No. 165.Voter Neeraj claimed polling officials informed him that his vote had already been recorded when he arrived at the booth. Two women voters, Mamta and Vimla, also alleged fake voting in their names, claiming there were no ink marks on their fingers.In Rewari, allegations of multiple voting triggered an uproar in Ward No. 4 after locals accused a woman of repeatedly changing clothes and attempting to cast multiple votes. Residents claimed she voted four times and yet had no visible indelible ink mark on her finger. Additional police force was deployed after tensions escalated.In another incident in Rewari, a youth was detained for allegedly attempting to cast a fake vote at a polling booth after rival supporters objected. Police said the matter was under investigation.Questions were also raised over voter facilities in Sonipat after 91-year-old Bhawani Devi reportedly fell outside a polling booth at DAV School while trying to reach the centre. Her family alleged that no wheelchair facility was available. Videos of the incident later went viral on social media.In Uklana, an argument broke out between a police official and an MLA outside a polling booth after police reportedly stopped family members accompanying the legislator from entering together.Meanwhile, in Dharuhera, a Congress candidate alleged that BJP workers were distributing Rs 1,000 each to influence voters, though there was no official response from the administration on the charge.MSID:: 130993872 413 |