UP: Video Of Man Casting Votes For BJP 8 Times Goes Viral, Akhilesh, Rahul Slam Saffron Party

A viral video showcased a man casting multiple votes in favour of a BJP candidate at a polling booth. EC reacted after SP's Akhilesh Yadav and his ally Congress's Rahul Gandhi voiced concerns.

File Photo Of Akhilesh Yadav And Rahul Gandhi

Source : PTI Images

A viral video posted by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday showcased a man casting multiple votes in favour of a BJP candidate at a polling booth in Uttar Pradesh. In the footage lasting for over two minutes, the voter can be observed voting for BJP candidate Mukesh Rajput on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at least eight times. 

Mukesh Rajput is contesting as a BJP candidate from the Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh. 

Sharing the video, Akhilesh Yadav commented, "If the Election Commission feels that this is wrong then it must take some action, otherwise... BJP's booth committee is actually a loot committee".

अगर चुनाव आयोग को लगे कि ये गलत हुआ है तो वो कुछ कार्रवाई ज़रूर करे, नहीं तो…

भाजपा की बूथ कमेटी, दरअसल लूट कमेटी है। #नहीं_चाहिए_भाजपा pic.twitter.com/8gwJ4wHAdw

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 19, 2024

Retweeting the post, Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader and an ally of SP, remarked, "Seeing its defeat in front of it, BJP wants to loot democracy by pressurising the government machinery to deny the mandate."

Gandhi further stated, "Congress expects from all the officers performing election duty that they should not forget their constitutional responsibility under the pressure of power. Otherwise, as soon as the Indian government is formed, such action will be taken that anyone will think 10 times before insulting the 'Oath of the Constitution'."

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UP Police Registers Case Against Man In Viral Video

Following the circulation of the video, the Uttar Pradesh Police registered an FIR at the Naya Gaon police station based on a complaint by ARO Prateet Tripathi. 

As per media reports, the FIR includes charges under various under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant electoral laws, such as IPC Section 171F (election-related offences), IPC Sectional 419 (punishment for cheating by personating), as well as Sections 128, 132 and 136 of the Representation of the People Act, which pertain to maintaining voting secrecy, electoral fraud, and other election-related crimes. 

The EC Reacts

In response to the incident, the Election Commission also intervened, instructing authorities to take swift and decisive action. 

"Cognizance of the circulating video has been taken. Concerned District Election Officer has been directed to take prompt and effective action," stated the Chief Election Officer of Uttar Pradesh. 

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