In Guwahati, a video has surfaced showing a polling agent allegedly casting five votes in favor of the BJP candidate on an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) within a polling station, sparking controversy. The Karimganj Election Officer has clarified that the video was recorded during a “mock poll” conducted before the commencement of voting.
This widely circulated footage has brought the actions of the polling officials on duty into question. The incident took place at polling station no.11, 240 no. Nayadhar LP School in Patharkandi. Despite being labeled as a mock poll, concerns have been raised about the confidentiality of the electoral process due to the filming of the procedure, leading the Election Officer to issue a show cause notice to the implicated polling officials.
The polling agent depicted in the viral video has been identified as Abdul Sahid, representing independent candidate Abdul Hameed. Following the incident, presiding officer Nazrul Haque Tapadar and the polling team stationed at Nayadhar LP School were summoned by the District Election Officer to provide their testimonies.
Upon investigation, it was disclosed that the video was recorded during the routine mock poll conducted prior to the official voting process, as part of the standard protocol to safeguard the integrity of the electoral system. EVMs are reset to zero before the commencement of actual voting.
As per a statement issued by the District Election Officer, polling agents are authorized to cast a limited number of trial votes during the mock poll to verify the functionality of the EVMs. However, inquiries have arisen as to why the polling agent of an independent candidate purportedly voted for the BJP. “Upon receiving this complaint, the matter was addressed during scrutiny in the presence of the general observer, candidates, and election agents at 11 am on April 27. The polling team was interrogated, and according to the statement provided by the presiding officer, Nazrul Haque Tapadar, librarian (Taltala High School), the video in question was recorded during the mock poll and subsequently, a Close Result Clear (CRC) was conducted before the start of actual polling. This account is also supported by statements from individuals featured in the shared video,” the statement read.
Statements from polling agents representing other parties are awaiting verification. When approached, independent candidate Abdul Hameed, whose polling agent was captured in the video, attributed the incident to the alleged negligence of polling officials who purportedly left the EVMs unattended during breakfast hours. “Abdul Sahid informed me that the video was recorded for amusement before the commencement of the election at approximately 6:30 am,” Hameed stated.