Chinchwad By-poll : Two instances of alleged bogus voting reported in Wakad
Pune : Two cases of allegedly bogus voting were reported from Kaspate Vasti booth in Maruti Genu Kaspate school of the Chinchwad assembly bypoll election on Sunday. According to officials, Parvati Eknath Pawar (70) resident of Tapkiranagar on Sunday morning at around 12:30 pm went to exercise their franchise on Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) along with her husband and son. However, polling officers did not allow her to vote as somebody else had already voted by her name.
Nilesh Pawar (35) son of Parvati Pawar told that, when they were arrived at the polling station, the polling officer told that she had already exercised her franchise but how is it possible? We all are family. We came together to exercise our franchise.’’ Later when they raised voice against it, officials gave her a ballot sheet to cast her vote, Nilesh added.
Nilesh further questioned that, how anybody can cast a vote by the name of my mother ? Concerned authorities should look into this matter.
In another similar case, Dipak Nikam (35) years old who was working as a security manager in a private company had gone to Maruti Genu Kaspate school to exercise his franchise at around 11:30 am but experienced the same like Parvati bai.
Dipak Nikam said, “Initially they did not allow me to vote as someone else voted by my name already there.”
Dipak Nikam spent almost one hour at the polling station as a convenience polling officer. Finally polling officers allowed him to vote on a ballot paper.
Sachin Dhole, election officer at Chinchwad Assembly said,”We have received complaints about the same but at such places we take tender ballots. We can’t not stop voters from exercising their franchise.’’
When asked about the reason behind such incidents, Sachin Dhole told that, things happened because of similarity in names and photos on voter cards.
