Booth capturing
Also called: Section 135A · Topic: Elections and the Electoral System · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Booth capturing means taking over a polling station by force. Those who do it cast fake votes or keep real voters away. It has been an electoral offence under Section 135A of the RPA 1951 since 1989. Under Section 58A, the Election Commission can adjourn the poll at that station (stop it and hold it later). It can also countermand the whole election, which means cancel it. The law was made to stop violence and rigging that defeat the people's choice.
Example
Suppose armed men take control of a booth and stamp votes themselves. The Presiding Officer reports it, and the ECI can cancel the poll there and order a fresh one.
Don't confuse with
- Impersonation: This means one person falsely voting in another person's name. Booth capturing means using force to take over the whole polling station.
Related concepts
- Indelible ink
- Tendered vote
- Electronic voting machine
- Voter verifiable paper audit trail
- NOTA
- NOTA case