Constable booked for posting ballot paper on social media after casting postal vote

A Mumbai constable was booked for taking and sharing photos of his ballot paper on social media, violating election secrecy rules.

MUMBAI: A constable from Local Armed police has been booked by the police for allegedly taking photos of ballot papers and posting them on social media.

Constable booked for posting ballot paper on social media after casting postal vote

The police have arranged postal voting at various places in the state for constables as the policemen will be busy with election bandobast on polling day. The accused constable, Ganesh Shinde, was registered as a voter from Asthi constituency in Beed and was given the polling booth at Tardeo for postal ballot. He carried his mobile phone inside polling booths despite restrictions in place. He took photos of ballot paper after voting and posted them on social media, giving rise to rumours of ballot papers being leaked before elections.

“After an inquiry, we found that a police constable who voted in Wilson College polling booth in South Mumbai on November 14 had made the papers viral. We have registered a case against him,” said the police officer.

Based on a complaint by Prasanna Tambe, election officer for Wilson College booth, a case has been registered against Shinde at Gamdevi police station under section 223 (disobeying orders issued by public servants) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and section 128 (maintenance of secrecy of voting) of The Representation of the People Act, 1950. A notice has been issued to him under 35 (3) (not necessarily arrest, issuance of notice to appear when required). The Mumbai Police have also suspended Shinde for violation of code of conduct.

The election commission had previously advised that the use of mobile phones is strictly prohibited at the polling station and the voters should vote in complete privacy while casting their vote. After voting, ballot paper and Form 13A should be filled in the enclosed envelope which will be dropped in the closed state only in the ballot box kept in the polling booth.