AHMEDABAD: The Congress has registered 19 complaints of poll irregularities during the voting for the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat on Tuesday.
Gujarat Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil filed a complaint with the Election Commission, accusing the BJP's booth representatives across all polling stations in the state of violating the law by allegedly carrying pens bearing a lotus symbol and a photo of PM Narendra Modi.
Gohil said that when he arrived at the Sector-19 polling booth to cast his vote, he found a BJP polling agent seated inside with a pen bearing a lotus symbol.
He alleged, "It is against the law for anyone to sit inside the polling booth with an election symbol. But BJP's polling/booth representatives in every polling station in Gujarat are violating this law by sitting inside the booth with a pen bearing a lotus symbol and a photo of a BJP leader."
He further stated, "The ruling party is securing votes through money and power. Congress workers in Jamnagar have been detained by the local crime branch. The voting process has been disrupted due to pro-Congress voting at Vasan village in Gandhinagar."
Gohil alleged that the Election Commission is not fulfilling its duties adequately.
In another incident, Ganiben Thakor, the Congress candidate from Banaskantha Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat, has alleged that youths from outside the district used fake police plates on their vehicles outside the polling station in Siawada village of Danta taluka to coerce voters into supporting the BJP.
Congress spokesperson Hiren Banker said the number of complaints may rise before the end of polling.