Lucknow: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Uttar Pradesh Lakku Venkateshwarlu has said allegations of booth capturing in Amethi are false after Union minister Smriti Irani tweeted a video of a woman who claimed that she was made to vote for the Congress.
Venkateshwarlu, while talking to reporters, said the charges levelled by the elderly woman in the video clip that went viral on social media were found to be "baseless".
"Following the complaint, the sector officer, senior officials and even observers rushed to the booth and spoke to the polling agents of the political parties, other officials in the polling booth following which it was conclusively found that the charges in the video clip were fabricated. Due to prima facie allegations in the clip, the presiding officer was summarily removed while the probe was going on," he said.
The video clip had created a huge controversy, with Smriti Irani claiming that booth capturing was being done at the behest of Congress president Rahul Gandhi who is seeking re-election in Amethi.
She added that Gandhi was resorting to stealing votes. “They said that 'chowkidar chor hai', but they are the ones who are stealing votes. Rahul Gandhi will have to answer for such acts and the administration must look into the matter,” she said.
Irani is the BJP candidate in Amethi and is contesting against Gandhi in a fierce battle.
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