Ahmedabad: Sporadic incidents of violence, clashes, and allegations of bogus voting were reported across several wards on polling day, even as authorities maintained that the overall voting process remained peaceful.
Incidents of Assault and Clashes
In the Rajpur-Gomtipur ward, Congress worker Imran Meer alleged that he was assaulted by independent candidate Imran Pathan and his associate Amir Pathan. Meer sustained serious injuries to his head and shoulder and was admitted to Shardaben Hospital in Saraspur. No police complaint was filed until late evening.
A scuffle broke out between voters and home guards at Ellisbridge Gujarati School No. 14. In Kubernagar ward, clashes erupted between Congress and BJP workers at VV Tomar School, with reports of a BJP candidate's relative, Sureshsinh Yadav, being slapped during the altercation.
In Danilimda ward, BJP candidate Vinod Parmar was allegedly assaulted after he reached an MS School following complaints of bogus voting. During the scuffle, he reportedly fell unconscious and was shifted to LG Hospital.
EVM Malfunctions and Voting Disruptions
In Khadia ward, voting was briefly halted at Balbhavan after Congress workers alleged that the button on the EVM for their candidate was not functioning. Polling resumed after the machine was replaced. A similar disruption occurred at Seventh Day School in Khokhra, where voting was stopped for around 20 minutes following allegations of impersonation.
Congress workers in Odhav alleged that voting continued beyond stipulated hours at Ambikanagar Municipal School. In Ghatlodia, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that its candidate, Dr Neel Patel, was assaulted by BJP workers, while Congress claimed its polling agent Hemang Vyas was manhandled and thrown out of a booth.
Authorities have not yet commented on the specific incidents, but officials maintained that the overall voting process was peaceful and orderly.
