Amid the polling of sixth phase of the general elections, there are several incidents of polling manipulation, misconduct and scattered violence were reported in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
On May 25, Minister and AAP leader Atishi after casting her vote, alleged that the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena, held a meeting with Delhi Police to slow down the voting process in areas which are strongholds of the INDIA bloc.
“We have received information that the Delhi Lt Governor today ordered the police to slow down voting in areas with a high number of INDIA bloc voters, creating difficulties for people trying to cast their votes. Any such attempt by the administration to ensure a BJP win is illegal, undemocratic and unconstitutional. I hope the Election Commission will take notice of this and prevent any such actions,” AAP Minister Atishi posted in Hindi on X.
Atishi told the reporters that “”We have received official information that last evening, LG had called a meeting of Delhi Police officials, and instructions were given to Delhi Police that in all the areas which are strongholds of the INDIA alliance, voting should be slowed down in those areas. If this happens then it will be a violation of free and fair elections. So, we hope that the Election Commission will take cognizance of this,”
Atishi had made a similar claim on Thursday on X, which was reposted by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on his official account.
Polling misconduct in West Bengal:
In a video posted by All India Trinamool Congress’s officer handle where it can be seen that inside the polling hall several men surrounding the EVM machine standing without any restriction even polling agents are not stopping them. TMC claims an outright electoral fraud
“This is the @SuvenduWB model of conducting elections – rigging votes when they can’t win people’s mandate! Where are the Central Forces now and @ECISVEEP now? TMC posted on social media handle X.
নন্দীগ্রামে নির্দ্বিধায় ছাপ্পা! An outright ELECTORAL FRAUD!
This is the @SuvenduWB model of conducting elections – rigging votes when they can’t win people’s mandate!
Where are the Central Forces now and @ECISVEEP now? pic.twitter.com/CN3e5VJ9Ug
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 25, 2024
Old Women allegedly beaten by BJP candidate & his goons in Bengal:
Another incident was reported in West Bengal’s Jhargrams, where it was alleged that a women beaten by BJP candidate and his goons while she was in queue to cast her vote.
“The BJP nominee was threatening voters. The villagers got enraged and staged a protest,” a local TMC leader said.
Vehicles belonging to various media houses were reportedly vandalised by the mob as well. Indian express reported
Jhargram’s #BJP candidate & his goons asaaulted a woman who was in queue to cast her vote!#LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/l57exxLILh
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) May 25, 2024
SP, Cong allege India Bloc’s Ambedkar Nagar candidate put under house arrest:
The Congress and the Samajwadi Party on May 25, alleged that SP’s Ambedkar Nagar Lok Sabha constituency candidate Lalji Verma has been put under house arrest at the behest of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
SP leader Arvind Kumar Singh wrote to the Chief Electoral Officer alleging the Ambedkar Nagar administration is influencing the elections by keeping the SP candidate under house arrest.
In a post on X, SP’s chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “Police were sent to raid the house of SP’s winning Ambedkar Nagar candidate Shri Lalji Verma but the police were not supposed to find anything and they did not find anything. This is an attempt to tarnish the honest image of Shri Lalji Verma. Highly condemnable! This is the frustration of the losing BJP.” News agency PTI reported.
TMC slams BJP of ECM tampering, posted images on X showing EVMs had BJP tags, and ECI rejected claims:
Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of tampering with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). They claimed that five EVMs at a polling station in Bankura’s Raghunathpur had ‘BJP tags’ on them. Sharing images of the tagged EVMs, the TMC raised concerns about electoral integrity and called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to intervene.
Smt. @MamataOfficial has repeatedly flagged how @BJP4India was trying to rig votes by tampering with EVMs.
And today, in Bankura’s Raghunathpur, 5 EVMs were found with BJP tags on them.@ECISVEEP should immediately look into it and take corrective action! pic.twitter.com/aJwIotHAbX
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 25, 2024
TMC tagged the ECI and posted that “@ECISVEEP should immediately look into it and take corrective action,
Election Commission of India, replied to the claim of TMC that “While commissioning, common address tags were signed by the Candidates and their agents present. And since only BJP Candidate’s representative was present during that time in the commissioning hall, his signature was taken during commissioning of that EVM and VVPAT,”
The poll body further added that “done entirely under CCTV coverage”
TMC Leader killed hours before polling:
Sporadic violence marred the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal on Saturday a panchayat-level leader of the ruling-Trinamool Congress (TMC) was killed in East Midnapore district hours before polling began. Even on Friday May 24, one person was killed in Mahishadal with sharp weapon. He has been identified as Sheikh Maibul. “The investigation is going on, five persons have been detained”, said a police officer.
According to Hindustan Times report, it was the second murder in the last 72 hours in Tamluk. “BJP candidate and his security personnel assaulted a woman. We condemn this attack on women,” said Chandrima Bhattacharya, minister of state for health in West Bengal.
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