Election Commission rules out non-activation of ballot unit in Bengaluru’s Shantinagar booth

BENGALURU: The Election Commission has dismissed as “incorrect and baseless” reports alleging non-activation of a ballot unit by a polling official in polling booth at Shantinagar in Bengaluru.

“Reports of alleged non-activation of a ballot unit by a polling official in a polling booth in Shantinagar in Bengaluru, circulating on social media & WhatsApp as an audio message are incorrect & baseless. The correct position has been outlined below by DEO, after due enquiry”, the Election Commission said in a post on X.

Reports of alleged non-activation of a ballot unit by a polling official in a polling booth in Shantinagar in Bengaluru, circulating on social media & WhatsApp as an audio message are incorrect & baseless. The correct position has been outlined below by DEO, after due enquiry : https://t.co/knZHlh6YZd

— Spokesperson ECI (@SpokespersonECI) April 27, 2024

The District Election Officer also confirmed the same and said that no such case of non-activation of the ballot button has been reported from the said polling station.

“Complaint of not activating the BALLOT button of the Control Unit at the time of casting the vote on Ballot Unit in Booth No.17, 163-Shantinagar-Reg. Upon receipt of complaint, the Assistant Returning Officer, 163- Shantinagar Assembly, has directed the Sector Magistrate to immediately reach the polling station and report the issue. It was found that the total entries in register 17A and the Control Unit perfectly tallied, indicating that no such case of non-activation of BALLOT button has been reported from the said polling station”, Bengaluru District Election Officer said in a post on X on Friday.

“The same has been confirmed by the Assistant Returning Officer concerned. Hence, the narration in the said audio recording is far from truth, baseless and is of presumptive nature”, the District Election Officer, added in the post.

Polling was conducted on Friday in 14 parliamentary constituencies of Karnataka during the second phase of the Lok Sabha election. The remaining seats will go to the polls on May 7. The counting of votes will take place on June 4. (ANI)