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Lok Sabha election: EC orders re-polling at one booth in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar on April 29
A massive violence erupted on Friday in Hanur polling booth following a clash between two groups of people over whether to vote or not in Lok Sabha elections.
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The Election Commission on Saturday ordered re-polling at the Hanur polling station in Karnataka on Monday, April 29, a day after massive violence erupted following a clash between two groups of people over whether to vote or not in the Lok Sabha elections.
According to the poll body, the polling conducted in Hanur, which falls under the Chamarajanagar parliamentary constituency, is “void”.
“On the basis of reports submitted by the Returning Officer and General Observer for Chamrajnagar Parliamentary Constituency and after taking all material circumstances into account, the Commission hereby declares under appropriate sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 that the poll taken on April 26 at the polling station no 146, Government Lower Primary School, Indiganatha, 221- Hansur Assembly Constituency of Chamarajanagar Parliamentary Constituency, falling under Chamarajanagar district to be void,” the EC said in a letter addressed to the Karnataka chief electoral officer, reported ANI.
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The poll body, in its letter, added that the fresh polls will be conducted on Monday from 7 am to 6 pm.
The voting at the Hanur polling booth was held on Friday in phase two of the Lok Sabha election. The polling station has over 520 voters residing under the Mendare and Indiganatha village limits.
According to reports, the villagers have been threatening to boycott the polls over the last few years, in protest against the state governments over the lack of amenities given to them.
On Friday, as the villagers boycotted the polls, citing a lack of adequate infrastructure development, election officials tried to convince them to vote. While some of the residents ended the boycott and began exercising their franchise, a group of furious villagers attacked the others - which led to the destruction of some Electronic Voting Machines (EVM). Reportedly, the villagers also pelted stones at the election officials.
Following the incident, the EC stopped the polling mid-way.
(With inputs from ANI)
