Voting Row in Patna: Two Women Claim They Were Stopped from Casting Ballots
Complaints emerge during Bihar Assembly Elections as voters claim polling staff refused entry without physical voter slips despite valid ID cards.
Patna, Nov 6: As the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections commenced today, reports surfaced from the state capital of two women being allegedly denied their right to vote despite possessing valid voter ID cards and being listed on the official electoral roll.
One of the voters, Shreya Mehta, alleged that polling officials at her booth refused to let her cast her vote because she did not carry a physical voter slip. She claimed she was instructed to download a digital version instead, even though her name was clearly visible on the voter list.
“The BLO did not give us the slip and asked us to download it digitally. My name is on the list with serial number 17, and I also have my voter ID card. We’ve been waiting here since 6:30 a.m., but they told us we can’t vote without the slip. We’re going back without voting,” Shreya said.
A similar complaint was raised by Anupama Sharma, who also alleged that she was stopped from voting due to the absence of a physical voter slip.
“I was not allowed to vote even though my name is on the list and I have my ID card. They said I must have the slip and asked me to wait for five minutes. This is the first time I’ve faced such an issue,” she said.
The incident has raised concerns about the voting process and accessibility for citizens, prompting questions over the implementation of Election Commission guidelines regarding identification and voter verification during polling.
