Woman booked for recording video while casting her vote in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: A 33-year-old woman has been booked on charges of recording a video while casting her vote at a polling booth in Avarampalayam in Coimbatore city on Thursday.

The Peelamedu police identified the woman as Kousalya of Avarampalayam. They seized her mobile phone as part of the investigation.

According to police, Kousalya went to the polling booth at Shoba Nagar on Thursday to vote. She allegedly concealed her mobile phone and entered the booth with it. While pressing the button on the electronic voting machine, she reportedly recorded the act on her phone. Polling staff noticed the violation, confiscated the device and collected her personal details at the spot.

Police said she was initially allowed to leave the polling station. A police complaint was filed on Friday after obtaining permission from the Election Commission of India.

She was booked under sections 128, 131, and 132 of the Representation of the People Act. Section 128 relates to the maintenance of voting secrecy, Section 131 concerns disorderly conduct in or near polling stations and Section 132 deals with misconduct at polling stations. If she is found guilty by a court, the woman will have to either serve a fine or serve a jail term extending up to three months.

Officials said further investigation was under way to determine the full circumstances of the incident and examine the contents of the seized mobile phone.