Four poll officials sent to jail for influencing voters

The six persons, including four polling officials, arrested for allegedly influencing voters at a booth in Jalukbari Assembly segment under Gauhati Lok Sabha constituency on April 24, were forwarded to jail custody today.
Rangia Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate Konkirani Deka, rejecting their bail petition, sent the six to judicial custody after their arrest yesterday under Sections 120(B)/409/406/448 IPC read with Section 171-F/132/135-A/134 IPC.
The six include presiding officer in polling station No 35 at Bornijora LP School, Paresh Hajarika and polling officials Rakhal Chandra Choudhury, Abhoy Nath Bez Barua and Rupam Malakar, besides VDP volunteer Bimal Boro and videographer Vidyut Saikia.

A police case was filed against the six at the Baihata PS after a local news channel telecast footage of the polling station on April 24 showing a person wearing a VDP (Village Defence Party) identity card repeatedly pressing the EVM button for voters or asking them to "vote here" for a particular candidate.
The video also showed that neither the polling officials nor polling agents of other contestants protested the VDP volunteer's moves.
The Election Commission has ordered a re-poll at the polling station today.