Rajasthan: Independent candidate slaps official during polling
What's the story
An independent candidate in the Rajasthan by-elections, Naresh Meena, allegedly slapped Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Amit Choudhary at a polling booth in Deoli-Uniara constituency on Wednesday. The incident was caught on video at the Samravata polling station and soon went viral. Meena, a former Congress leader who was suspended from his party for deciding to contest independently, accused Choudhary of letting three vote illegally.
Election unrest
Incident sparks controversy amid by-elections
The by-poll for the Deoli-Uniara seat was necessitated after Harish Chandra Meena vacated it to serve in the Lok Sabha after winning the general elections. District election officer and Tonk Collector Saumya Jha said Samravta village residents had announced a boycott of these bypolls. The villagers demanded their village be moved under Uniara Tehsil, which is closer than its current jurisdiction under Nagar Fort Tehsil.
Election day
Voting continues amid security, boycott
Voting for seven assembly seats in Rajasthan was held under tight security, and the results will be declared on November 23. Till 11:00am on the day of voting, nearly 25% votes were cast across these constituencies. The Rajasthan Assembly has 200 members, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) having 114 seats and Congress 65 seats.