Booth Capturing

About Booth Capturing:

• Booth-capturing, defined in Section135A of the RPA, includes all or any of the following activities by any person or persons:
  • Seizure of a polling station, affecting the conduct of elections;
  • Taking possession of a polling station, allowing only his or their supporters to vote;
  • Intimidating or threatening any elector and preventing him from going to the polling station;
  • Seizure of a counting place affecting the counting of votes;
  • Involvement of any person in government service in any of the above activities.
• It is punishable for a term of not less than one year, which may extend to three years for lay people and not less than three years, extending to five years for government servants.
• In such cases the Election Commission of India, based on the material facts, may
  • Declare the poll at that polling station to be void and direct a fresh poll on a new date; or
  • Countermand the election in the constituency in case booth capturing has taken place in a large number of polling stations, or if it has affected the counting of votes.