Lok Sabha elections 2024: Maharashtra women commission chief and seven others booked for performing EVM 'puja'

Pic/X@ChakankarSpeaks

Amid ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, a case has been registered against Maharashtra Women Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar, who belongs to NCP, and seven others, for allegedly performing 'puja' of an Electronic Voting Machine inside a polling booth in Khadakwasla segment under Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, reported news agency PTI.

"Rupali Chakankar and others defied the orders of the presiding officer of the polling booth at Sinhgad Road area, went inside and performed 'puja' of the EVM this morning," a police official said, reported PTI.

On a complaint lodged by an Election Commission official, a case was registered under sections 131 (Penalty for disorderly conduct in or near polling stations) and 132 (Penalty for misconduct at the polling station) of the Representation of the People Act 1951.

While Chakankar belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the seven others include a member each from the rival NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) camps.

The contest for the Baramati constituency is keenly watched as it is the first time that members of the Pawar clan are in the fray against each other post the split in the Nationalist Congress Party.

Sharad Pawar's daughter and sitting MP Supriya Sule is locked in a tight fight with her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar.

Meanwhile, police in Maharashtra's Raigad district registered a non-cognisable case against a voter who made reels on his mobile phone while casting his vote during Lok Sabha elections 2024 on Tuesday and later published it on social media platforms, an official said, reported PTI.

The incident occurred in the afternoon at the polling booth no. 244 in Revdanda when the voting for the Raigad Lok Sabha constituency was on, he said, reported PTI.

A voter, Prasad Sharad Gondhali, took out his mobile phone and made a reel of the process of casting his vote and also of the voting to a particular candidate, said the official, reported PTI.

After recording the video of the process and making reels of it, the accused allegedly displayed it on his Instagram account and also put it as status message of his WhatsApp, he said, reported PTI.

As his act was in violation of secrecy norms related to voting process, a complaint was filed against him on behalf of the government at the Revdanda Police Station, reported PTI.

Accordingly, a non-cognisable case was registered against the voter, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)