Maharashtra Election: 6 Polling Stations Vandalised In Beed, EVMs Replaced As Clashes Erupt During Voting

Six polling stations across three villages in Parli, Beed district, were vandalised by unidentified individuals in an area where Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dhananjay Munde is contesting.

Beed Collector Avinash Pathak stated, "Some people vandalised six polling stations in three villages in Parli. We have replaced the EVMs at five of the six polling booths. In Ghatnandur village, four EVMs were damaged, three of which have been changed, and voting has resumed. In Chhotewadi and Murabbi, we have also replaced the EVMs, and the process has restarted. The votes cast prior to the incident remain safe. We have filed a criminal case against the unidentified individuals."

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Pathak clarified that while incidents of clashes and manhandling were reported, these occurred outside the polling stations, reported Hindustan Times.

"These are acts of vandalism targeting the booths and cannot be classified as booth capturing. The Superintendent of Police is personally stationed in Parli, overseeing security arrangements. Adequate police forces have been deployed," he added.

The Nationalist Congress Party (SP) shared videos on social media purportedly showing booth capturing and unidentified individuals directing voters to choose specific candidates. The party questioned whether this was reflective of democracy or dictatorship. Additional footage circulating online showed polling booths being vandalised and CCTV networks being disconnected at several polling stations in Parli.

In Parli city, Congress General Secretary Shivaji Deshmukh reported that NCP-SP leader Madhavrao Jadhav was assaulted by workers from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction.

"Jadhav was holding a meeting with Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi workers in the Bank Colony area when he was attacked," Deshmukh said.

Similar complaints had been raised with the Election Commission during Lok Sabha elections, prompting the Bombay High Court to mandate the installation of CCTV cameras in 122 polling booths.