Maharashtra women panel chief, seven others booked over EVM 'puja'

A case has been registered against Maharashtra Women Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar and seven others for allegedly performing a religious ceremony on an Electronic Voting Machine in Pune. The incident occurred in the Khadakwasla segment under the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency. The accused allegedly defied the orders of the presiding officer and entered the polling booth to perform the ceremony. A complaint was lodged by an Election Commission official, and a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Representation of the People Act. The incident comes amid a closely watched contest in Baramati, where members of the Pawar clan are contesting against each other after a split in the Nationalist Congress Party.

A case has been registered against Maharashtra Women Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar, who belongs to NCP, and seven others, for allegedly performing 'puja' of an Electronic Voting Machine inside a polling booth in Khadakwasla segment under Baramati Lok Sabha constituency.

''Chakankar and others defied the orders of the presiding officer of the polling booth at Sinhgad Road area, went inside and performed 'puja' of the EVM this morning,'' a police official said.

On a complaint lodged by an Election Commission official, a case was registered under sections 131 (Penalty for disorderly conduct in or near polling stations) and 132 (Penalty for misconduct at the polling station) of the Representation of the People Act 1951.

While Chakankar belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the seven others include a member each from the rival NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) camps.

The contest for the Baramati constituency is keenly watched as it is the first time that members of the Pawar clan are in the fray against each other post the split in the Nationalist Congress Party. Sharad Pawar's daughter and sitting MP Supriya Sule is locked in a tight fight with her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar.

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