Amethi/New Delhi: AAP candidate Kumar Vishwas accused Congress workers of indulging in booth capturing in Amethi on Wednesday to save the prestigious seat, a charge denied by the district administration.
"Booth capturing is going on at booth number 42 of Mehmoodpur...," Vishwas alleged on Twitter.
?? ????? ?? ????? ?? ???-?????, ????? ??????, ?????? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ? ??? ???? (1/2)
— Dr. Kumar Vishvas (@DrKumarVishwas) May 7, 2014In another tweet, he alleged that information about large scale booth capturing, fake voting and intimidation of workers is coming from various places but the observers and district administration are not taking any action on complaints which are being sent through phone, email and SMSes.
(2/2) ???, ?????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ???, ????? ??????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??? ???.
— Dr. Kumar Vishvas (@DrKumarVishwas) May 7, 2014However, District Magistrate Jagat Raj Tripathi denied the charges.
"No such complaint has been found correct. Polling is going on smoothly," he said.
The seat is witnessing a fierce battle between Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, trying hard to maintain his 3.70 lakh winning margin during last elections, BJP's Smriti Irani who is riding on "Modi wave" and Vishwas, who has been camping here for the last six months.
Jagdishpur 4 booths 108, 109, 110, 111 captured by Md Israaq of Congress. Bogus voting in free flow.Will admin interfere fast enough?
— Dr. Kumar Vishvas (@DrKumarVishwas) May 7, 2014Amethi Vidhansabha Booth No 41, 42 repeated complaints of bogus voting in rounds since 3 hrs.
— Dr. Kumar Vishvas (@DrKumarVishwas) May 7, 2014Meanwhile, Election Commission 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. Polling was found to be normal by the poll officials after visiting the booths," Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha told PTI.
The complaints of poll rigging pertained to booth numbers 42, 26, 108, 110, 111 and 117, which were visited by EC officials to verify the allegations, the CEO said.
In Delhi, a senior EC official said, "The observer (senior IAS officer Ramakrishna) visited booth numbers 37 and 38 (in Amethi's Mehmoodpur area) and found no evidence of capturing. The polling, though, has so far been recorded as low in the booths."
The EC said AAP has also alleged rigging in 13 other booths in Amethi but sector magistrates who visited the booths found that no untoward incidents have taken place.
AAP has also alleged that Congress candidate Rahul Gandhi is moving in Amethi in a cavalcade.
"The DM and SP have informed the Commission that while Gandhi was moving in one vehicle, the others were security and escort vehicles which he is entitled to as per norms," the official said.
He was responding to the issues flagged by AAP through district authorities.
Amethi is among the 15 seats in Uttar Pradesh, which went to polls today, where two-time sitting MP Rahul Gandhi is pitted against BJP's Smriti Irani and AAP's Kumar Vishwas.
