AAP lodges complaint against booth capturing in Amethi, EC rejects

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday strongly condemned the ineffectiveness of the Election Commission in preventing booth capturing and rigging in at least 13 polling booths in the Amethi Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency. AAP also made public photographic evidence of Congress candidate Rahul Gandhi himself trying to operate an electronic voting machine (EVM) at a polling booth when the voting was on. 

AAP found that booth numbers – 34, 37, 38, 108, 109, 110, 111, 187, 195, 203 and 204 were captured by the Congress workers and AAP polling agents were not allowed inside booth numbers 41 and 42, therefore no factual report about these two booths is available. The party further asked the Election Commission (EC) to take immediate action against the concerned staff who allowed Gandhi to have a free run and make a mockery of the free and fair election. 

‘It is shocking that the Congress indulged in large-scale rigging in the so-called fiefdom of the Gandhi family. Congress flags were seen at a number of government schools in the constituency, of which many photographs are available,’ AAP said in a press statement.

Meanwhile, the poll panel found the charge to be unfounded after verification and said voting there was progressing peacefully.

‘The EC had received several complaints of booth capturing in Amethi, which were referred to the state poll authorities. They found no evidence in such complaints.