'What if they need toilet break': AAP alleges its polling agent held ‘captive’ at Delhi booths

Kejriwal wrote on X that it is “human rights violation” to keep a booth agent “captive” after Raghav Chadha claimed party's agents are not being allowed entry.

Published on: Feb 5, 2025, 15:56:50 IST

By HT News Desk

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Amid voting for Delhi assembly election, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday raised alleged irregularities at polling booth in the New Delhi constituency, from where former chief minister and party leader Arvind Kejriwal is contesting against Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Parvesh Verma.

AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Raghav Chadda comes out after meeting with election commissioner, at outside the Nirvachan Sadan , in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. (Vipin Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

AAP MP Raghav Chadha alleged that relievers, who are designated as polling agents, were reportedly not being allowed entry inside several booths. Follow Delhi election live updates

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal responded to Raghav Chadha's allegations and wrote on X that it is “human rights violation” to keep a booth agent "captive".

Raghav Chadha alleged, “Both the reliever and the polling agent are given the status of polling agent. But such complaints are coming from many places in New Delhi assembly constituency.”

“In almost half the booths, this complaint is coming that the reliever is not being allowed to go inside. The security personnel deployed outside the polling station are not allowing our reliever to go inside. If the reliever does not go inside and if our polling agent does not come out, then the voting percentage, if there is any fake voting or not or any kind of dispute at that particular booth, whether the EVM is working properly or not… all these things cannot be revealed officially,” Raghav Chadha added.

"That is why I have come to make a demand from the entire administration. We have also talked to the District Election Officer, we have requested him to allow our reliever to go inside...There should be a level playing field for everyone and there should be a free and fair election. The voter who wants to vote for any party should be allowed to vote for that party. Now if there is any interference on the last day, if there is any hooliganism then it is not good. We have also given all these things in writing to the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Chief Election Officer Delhi and DM [district magistrate, New Delhi," Raghav Chadha said.

Kejriwal says 'human rights violation

Arvind Kejriwal responded to Raghav Chadha's allegations and wrote on microblogging platform X that it is “human rights violation” to keep a booth agent "captive".

“This is too much. How can you not let the reliever go inside? If the booth agent inside has to go to the toilet, will you keep him captive? The reliever will go in his place. This is a human rights violation. How can you keep the booth agents captive?” Arvind Kejriwal said in his post.

Voting for the Delhi assembly election 2025 began at 7 am on Wednesday and was expected to conclude at 6:30 am. Voting for all 70 seats of Delhi took place in a single phase.

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HT News Desk
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