M A I N   N E W S

70 per cent turnout in Haryana
One killed, 18 injured in poll clashes
Yoginder Gupta & Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service

She said about five case had been registered under various sections of the IPC. However, she clarified that these cases had not been registered at the instance of the election authorities as the incidents happened outside the polling stations.

She said the BJP candidate from Kalka, Mr Shyam Lal Bansal, had complained that his polling agents were not being allowed inside the booths. An inquiry was ordered. It was found that the BJP candidate’s election agent, Mr Anil Goel, had not given his specimen signatures on the prescribed performa. It was Mr Goel who had signed the appointment letters of the polling agents of the BJP nominee. However, when it was found that Mr Goel’s signatures were available elsewhere, the Returning Officer immediately sent messages to all presiding officers to allow Mr Bansal’s agents inside the booths.

Tribune reporters add:
MUNDIGARHI (Karnal): Great enthusiasm was witnessed among Muslim voters of this village and surrounding areas of the Gharaunda constituency. These areas are along the Haryana-UP border on the banks of the Yamuna. Over 70 per cent polling was reported from these areas. Women bearing burkas turned up at the booths to vote.

SONEPAT: The brother of the Congress candidate from Gohana, Mr Dharam Pal Malik, reportedly suffered minor head injuries following a clash with supporters of the INLD.

JHAJJAR: The INLD candidate, Mrs Kanta Devi, alleged that she was manhandled by certain Congress supporters in Ismailgarh village. On the other hand, the Congress candidate from Sahlawas, Mrs Anita Yadav, accused INLD workers of having misbehaved with her.

FARIDABAD: Polling had to be suspended for some time in a number of booths of Faridabad (NIT) following a quarrel between the supporters of various political parties. The following was resumed after the police intervened.

The Congress candidate from Ballabhgarh, Ms Sharda Rathaur, alleged rigging and booth capturing by INLD workers. However, the INLD candidate, Mr Mool Chand Sharma, denied the allegations.

KAITHAL: The Independent candidate from Pai, Mr Tejinder Mann, alleged that supporters of the Congress captured booth no. 58 and 59 after they kidnapped his supporters. The D.C., however, denied the allegations.

FATEHABAD: At Chobra village in this constituency a 108-year-old Ganga Devi Jakhar and a 103-year-old Arjun Garodia were among those who cast their votes.

Poll panel to take action

THE Election Commission will initiate action against the presiding officer of the polling station in Adampur and certain media persons who filmed state Congress President Bhajan Lal casting his vote.

Stating this here on Thursday, Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Urwashi Gulati said the Congress leader was not at fault. Rather, the directives of the Election Commission that there was to be no videography inside polling booths, were violated, for which the electoral staff manning the booth as well as the media persons were to blame.

The Election Commission had received complaints that the Congress leader “had cast his vote under the glare of TV cameras” and there were also reports that a TV channel had telecast clips showing him pressing the button besides the Congress’s hand symbol on the EVM.