Independent candidate among two booked for hindering voting in Srinagar

Srinagar, May 14 (PTI) Police have registered an FIR against two persons, including an independent candidate, for allegedly creating hindrance in peaceful voting at a polling station during the Lok Sabha elections here, officials said on Tuesday.

The FIR was lodged at the Sadder police station on Monday against independent candidate Jibran Dar and his woman supporter Sujata Bashir on the complaint of Mehjoor Nagar polling booth’s sector magistrate Sarfaraz Ahmad, the officials said.

The Srinagar parliamentary constituency went to polls in the fourth phase on May 13, registering a voter turnout of nearly 38 per cent, which is the second highest poll percentage in many decades.

In the FIR, the independent candidate was accused of creating disruption and public hindrance during the poll process. He was also accused of threatening the polling staff and blocking the main road, preventing the voters from casting their ballots, the officials said.

They said Dar and his woman supporter were charged under various sections of Indian Penal Code, including 341 (wrong restraint), 506 (criminal intimidation), 186 (obstructing public servant) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) besides 132 of the Representation of People’s Act, which talks about penalty for misconduct at the polling station.