After five days, remarkable too late but at last action has been taken against former Minister of BJP and a Government official who was on poll duty in Harda for allowing minor to go inside the polling booth. FIR was lodged against former Minister Kamal Patel in City Kotwali for taking his minor grandson to the polling booth. Presiding Officer also has to pay for his negligence and has been suspended. As the picture of former Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister and BJP leader Kamal Patel while exercising his franchise with his grandson went viral on social media, it has raised eyebrows. Former minister Kamal Patel reached the Government Polytechnic College (polling centre) with his grandson and wife to vote. He shared the pictures of voting on social media.

 

In which his grandson was also seen. In the picture shared by Patel while voting, his grandson’s feet were also visible. That means he accompanied him to the EVM machine. In this incident, Election Commission also drew flak for not taking action. People were asking whether the law is different for politicians and commoners? Congress hurled questions on the Government asking whether action will be taken against him and responsible official or not? After Patel’s photo surfaced Congress State Sspokesperson Vivek Tripathi said that the deceitful character of BJP is coming to fore. BJP leaders are making a joke of this great festival of democracy. They are going to vote with a minor which is gross violation of the code of conduct.

 

Voting took place in Harda on May 7 during the third phase. Notably, on May 7 itself, a District Panchayat member of BJP in Bhopal had shared the video of getting his son to vote. In this matter, after a complaint was made in the Election Commission, not only an FIR was lodged against the Panchayat member in the district, but the entire polling team was also suspended. Noteworthy to mention that Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has consistently emphasising pivotal role of political parties as the EC’s key stakeholders, urging them to become active partners in upholding democratic values in view of ongoing elections.