‘Poll official said press button 2’: Video of Bengaluru voter alleging coercion

The Presiding Officer was replaced in the Benson Town booth, however EC said the allegations by the voter are false.
‘Poll official said press button 2’: Video of Bengaluru voter alleging coercion
‘Poll official said press button 2’: Video of Bengaluru voter alleging coercion
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“This lady, this officer, asked me to press button number 2,” a man alleges on a video from inside a polling booth, as an election official sitting nearby sits impassively.

“The Returning Officer who was sitting in the booth asked everyone to press button number 2,” Syed Zahir a resident of Bengaluru's Benson Town alleged. Button number 2 in the constituency – Bengaluru Central – referred to BJP candidate PC Mohan, and the voter alleged that the election official was coercing citizens at the booth.

Speaking to TNM, Syed said, “When I told her she was not supposed to tell me whom to vote for, she told me that she would do whatever she wants. A few people who were standing behind us also argued with her. That's when one media person came in and asked what happened. I spoke about it but when the media person asked the polling official, she denied coercing me."

Fahad, another voter, who was standing in line says he witnessed the incident. "There were four or five people standing right there and we heard her tell him (Syed) to press button number 2. We have nothing to gain by making false claims like this when we are the ones being harassed. We should be able to vote for whomever we want," Fahad added. 

The police personnel deployed at the spot said they entered the polling station when they heard an argument. "The man was accusing her of coercion. We immediately informed the Election Commission Officials. Around 12.45 pm, the Election Commission officials arrived at the polling station and ferried the woman returning officer away,” the police official said.

Speaking to TNM, Joint Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka, Surya Sen said that the official was immediately replaced. He, however, stated that Syed's allegations were found to be false.

In another incident, in Machohalli in Bengaluru North constituency, there were allegations by some residents that polling agents of a particular party were handing out pamphlets promoting their candidate. Concerned officials in the Karnataka State Election Commission did not confirm or deny the incident. However, EC sources said that the polling agents were outside the 100-metre buffer zone from the polling station, and that the complaint will be investigated by the Returning Officer.

On Thursday, 14 constituencies in Karnataka went to polls: Udupi-Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru North, Bengaluru Central, Bengaluru South, Chikkaballapura and Kolar.

 

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