No violation in Bengaluru ‘South’ home voting, says ECI in response to Congress Central candidate’s plaint

A day earlier, Bengaluru Central Congress candidate Mansoor Ali Khan complained that a BJP booth agent had accompanied the Election Commission officials during home voting in Ward 108 of the Rajaji Nagar Assembly segment in the constituency.

“On 13.04.24, complaints were received on an alleged violation of secrecy of Home Voting in Ward 108 of Rajaji Nagar Assembly Constituency of Bengaluru South PC,” the Chief Electoral Officer in Karnataka posted on X.

The poll panel clarified that the person was a local resident and there was no undue influence on those voting from the respective homes.

“Secrecy of voting is not violated,” the state Election Commission said.

“The home voting process is duly informed to all political parties and candidates and is conducted with utmost transparency,” it added.

The Election Commission said the returning officer examined a video clip submitted with the complaint. The micro-observer, too, filed a report.

Also Read: Poll-related seizures in Karnataka cross ₹300 crore mark 

**CLARIFICATION**
On 13..04.24, complaints were received on an alleged violation of secrecy of Home Voting in Ward 108 of Rajaji Nagar Assembly Constituency of Bengaluru South PC. The complainant claimed that the polling personnel were accompanied by a BJP Party Worker.

— Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (@ceo_karnataka) April 14, 2024

The complaint

Congress candidate in Bengaluru Central earlier complained that BJP booth agent Kiran Naidu accompanied ECI officials during the home voting process for the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Praveen Peter, KPCC General Secretary, who filed the official complaint on Khan’s behalf, alleged that Naidu accompanied EC officers to about six-seven houses.

“Booth agents are not allowed to enter houses,” he told South First on Saturday, 13 April.

Besides the Congress, Rajajinagar resident and advocate Jayavardhan VM, also complained.

“The polling officer was not carrying any identity card issued from ECI and it was informed by the officer that the same was lost. It should also be noted that the BJP worker was going inside the polling houses which is violating the election code,” he said.

The advocate further accused the local revenue inspector of taking the BJP inside the voters’ houses where the polling was conducted.

“Such incidences will not create a free and fair election. We request you to kindly take action against the polling officers, Revenue Inspector, and also the BJP worker Mr Kiran Naidu, who was influencing the voters inside the polling houses,” he said in his complaint.

As many as 4,459 senior citizens and disabled persons in Bengaluru cast their votes on Saturday, the first day of the five-day home voting process.

Of Bengaluru’s 1,13,108 voters aged above 85, only  7,556 had registered for the home voting facility. A total of 302 disabled people out of 30,693 also opted for the facility.

(Edited by Majnu Babu).