The State Election Commission ordered re-polling at Babania and Madhir villages in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment of Muktsar district amid allegations of booth capturing on Sunday. However, no FIR had been registered in the case so far. The Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have accused AAP leaders of forcibly taking control of some polling booths.
Tension flared up around 11 am at Babania village when a group of men allegedly entered a polling station, damaged CCTV cameras, forced out polling agents of rival parties and cast nearly 200 votes within minutes.
Congress workers staged a protest inside the polling station, accusing AAP MLA Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon’s brother Sandeep Singh alias Sunny Dhillon, his personal assistant Jagtar Singh and others of orchestrating the incident.
PCC president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said that while a re-poll had been ordered, the failure to register an FIR exposed the administration’s inaction. He announced a protest in Gidderbaha and demanded the transfer of the local SDM, alleging that Sunny Dhillon moved in the area with a convoy of 20 vehicles in violation of election norms. “The police were seen escorting Sunny, and our workers have shot videos. If the FIR is not filed, we will move the High Court as well,” said Warring.
SAD leaders led by Gurwinder Singh also protested outside the polling station at Babania. Polling agents of the Congress, SAD and BJP claimed to have submitted a joint written complaint to the Gidderbaha police.