India General Elections 2024: FIR against woman for creating nuisance at polling booth in Thane district

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Police have registered an FIR against a 39-year-old woman for allegedly creating nuisance at a polling booth in Bhiwandi area of Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Tuesday, reported PTI.

Polling of India General Elections 2024 was held on Monday in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of Maharashtra, including Bhiwandi and Thane.

The woman entered the polling booth set up at a zilla parishad school at Govegaon in Bhiwandi at around 8.15 am, the official from Kongaon police station said, reported PTI.

She allegedly violated the instructions displayed outside the polling booth and created nuisance there. The woman, resident of Bhiwandi area, shouted loudly and posed hurdles in the work of the polling staff, he said, reported PTI.

Based on a complaint by a poll staffer, an FIR was registered on Monday against the woman under Indian Penal Code sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), and provisions of the Representation of the People Act-1951, the official said, reported PTI.

The FIR did not specify if the accused was a voter.

The police have issued a notice to the woman who has not been arrested so far, the official said.

Meanwhile, an average voter turnout of 54.33 per cent has been recorded in 13 Lok Sabha seats of Maharashtra during the fifth phase of India General Elections 2024, as per latest data available with the office of the state's Chief Electoral Officer.

The final figures will be declared later, an official from the CEO's office said on Tuesday.

During the voting held in the 13 seats on Monday, six Lok Sabha constituencies in Mumbai recorded an average turnout of 52.27 per cent, compared to 55.38 per cent in the 2019 general elections.

The ST-reserved Dindori constituency (in Nashik district) recorded the highest turnout at 62.66 per cent while Kalyan saw the lowest polling at 47.08 per cent.

The BJP fielded Union minister Bharati Pawar in Dindori where she was pitted against Bhaskar Bhagare of the NCP (SP).

Palghar, another tribal-dominated constituency, recorded the second highest turnout at 61.65 per cent.

At many polling stations in various constituencies, people were standing in queues to cast vote even after the scheduled concluding time of 6 pm.

(With inputs from PTI)