Congress alleges 19 poll violations in Gujarat

The state unit of the Congress lodged 19 complaints of model code of conduct violations during the polling process, including objections to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow when he voted in Ahmedabad. However, the chief electoral officer of Gujarat rejected this complaint, asserting it did not constitute an MCC violation.

“The live telecast of the Union home minister casting his vote in Ahmedabad amounts to a violation of the MCC,” said party spokesperson Manish Doshi. In Gandhinagar, GPCC president Shaktisinh Gohil said that BJP polling agents were allowed to carry pens bearing the party symbol at many polling stations. In Banaskantha, Congress candidate Geni Thakor claimed that youth posing as CRPF personnel were threatening voters not to vote for the Congress.

Among other complaints, the legal cell of the state Congress said that an instance of irregularity in voting was reported from Nikol and a VVPAT machine was not displaying the name and symbol at Nalanda school in Ghatlodia in Ahmedabad. The party also reported irregularities at two booths in the Kheda district.

The Congress also complained to the ECI that the booth in charge did not permit the party agent to be seated in the booth, and irregularities were reported from two booths in Maninagar in Ahmedabad. The party also alleged that in the Shahpur area of Ahmedabad, the policemen posted on duty asked people to vote for the BJP.

The party complained that anti-social elements prevented voters from casting their vote in Sankalitnagar in the Juhapura area of Ahmedabad. The party alleged that a cop posted in the LCB, Jamnagar, illegally detained Congress party workers. Congress candidate from the Gandhinagar LS seat, Sonal Patel, said that anti-social elements snatched and tore polling agent forms and electoral lists of Congress workers in Juhapura on Monday.

She added that voters were threatened in Kalol and other areas. “I have complained to the EC regarding these incidents,” she said. The Congress also complained of bogus voting at a booth in the Gandhinagar LS constituency, voter intimidation in Kutch and EVM malfunction in a Banaskantha booth.

Regarding the roadshow complaint, CEO P Bharathi said, “The PM walked 200 metres from the booth, as parking of vehicles was not allowed near the booth. It cannot be considered a roadshow if people gather along the road to see someone. The people greeted the PM while he was walking, and he reciprocated. It cannot be termed as a poll violation.”

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