Booth capturing
Encyclopedia
Booth capturing is a type of electoral fraud
, found primarily in India
, in which party loyalists "capture" a polling booth
and vote in place of legitimate voters to ensure that their candidate wins. Though it is a kind of voter suppression
, unlike other forms of voting fraud, booth-capturing is a malpractice witnessed mainly in India and the least subtle of all.
Almost every State in the country has witnessed some booths being captured either by the ruling or opposition parties, though it is disproportionately widespread in states in North India
like Bihar
, Uttar Pradesh
and West Bengal
. The word came into prominent use in the media during the late 1970s and 1980s when the number of parties and candidates multiplied. This resulted in some Parties using underhand methods including booth capturing, especially in the rural hinterland of India. It became such an organised part of the Indian election process
, that certain gangs organised themselves to stuff ballot boxes, others to intimidate the public and polling officers while the police were either bribed or intimidated themselves, or in some cases in West Bengal, "ordered" to move away from the site of the crime. The modus operandi
of such booth capturing operations was facilitated by poor communication, long distances, and inadequate policing. By the 1990s it had become a common and unsightly occurrence wherever elections were held. Sometimes two rival party thugs would descend on the same polling station, resulting in violent clashes with injuries and even deaths on both sides.
West Bengal has a particularly ugly history of booth capturing, starting with 1972 when the ruling Congress Party captured booths at almost all the Constituencies while Central officers were ordered to stuff the ballots or intimidate voters. In 1982, 1987 and 1991, the ruling Left Front
coalition used severe violence, intimidation and booth capturimg against the opposition parties. Booth capturing continues in West Bengal in the 21st century, in the 2008 Panchayat and 2009 Lok Sabha elections, opposition parties Trinamool Congress and Indian National Congress also indulged in large-scale booth-capturing after a gap of almsot 32 years.
In 1989 the Representation of the People Act, 1951 was modified to include booth capturing as an offence punishable by law and countermanding or adjourning any poll that was booth captured. The development of the Electronic Voting Machine
(EVM) was also intended to make it harder for booth capturers to stuff the ballot boxes with their votes by enabling a five-minute delay between each vote entered as against hundreds of votes in the same time using ballot papers (stamped by a group of 3–4). The EVMs also possess a "close" button which can be used by the polling officer to deactivate the machines. Despite this, booth capturing continues to happen, albeit at a much reduced rate and many candidates who lose elections in India regularly complain that their opponents indulged in booth capturing to win.
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
, found primarily in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, in which party loyalists "capture" a polling booth
Polling station
A polling place or polling station is where voters cast their ballots in elections.Since elections generally take place over a one- or two-day span on a periodic basis, often annual or longer, polling places are often located in facilities used for other purposes, such as schools, churches, sports...
and vote in place of legitimate voters to ensure that their candidate wins. Though it is a kind of voter suppression
Voter suppression
Voter suppression is a strategy to influence the outcome of an election by discouraging or preventing people from exercising their right to vote. It is distinguished from political campaigning in that campaigning attempts to change likely voting behavior by changing the opinions of potential voters...
, unlike other forms of voting fraud, booth-capturing is a malpractice witnessed mainly in India and the least subtle of all.
Almost every State in the country has witnessed some booths being captured either by the ruling or opposition parties, though it is disproportionately widespread in states in North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
like Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. The word came into prominent use in the media during the late 1970s and 1980s when the number of parties and candidates multiplied. This resulted in some Parties using underhand methods including booth capturing, especially in the rural hinterland of India. It became such an organised part of the Indian election process
Elections in India
India has a quasi federal government, with elected officials at the federal , state and local levels. On a national level, the head of government, the Prime Minister, is elected directly by the people, through a general election. All members of the federal legislature, the Parliament, are directly...
, that certain gangs organised themselves to stuff ballot boxes, others to intimidate the public and polling officers while the police were either bribed or intimidated themselves, or in some cases in West Bengal, "ordered" to move away from the site of the crime. The modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
of such booth capturing operations was facilitated by poor communication, long distances, and inadequate policing. By the 1990s it had become a common and unsightly occurrence wherever elections were held. Sometimes two rival party thugs would descend on the same polling station, resulting in violent clashes with injuries and even deaths on both sides.
West Bengal has a particularly ugly history of booth capturing, starting with 1972 when the ruling Congress Party captured booths at almost all the Constituencies while Central officers were ordered to stuff the ballots or intimidate voters. In 1982, 1987 and 1991, the ruling Left Front
Left Front
The Left Front is an alliance of Indian leftist parties. After a 34-year reign in West Bengal, the Left Front was swept from power in the 2011 election...
coalition used severe violence, intimidation and booth capturimg against the opposition parties. Booth capturing continues in West Bengal in the 21st century, in the 2008 Panchayat and 2009 Lok Sabha elections, opposition parties Trinamool Congress and Indian National Congress also indulged in large-scale booth-capturing after a gap of almsot 32 years.
In 1989 the Representation of the People Act, 1951 was modified to include booth capturing as an offence punishable by law and countermanding or adjourning any poll that was booth captured. The development of the Electronic Voting Machine
Indian voting machines
Electronic Voting Machines are beingused in Indian General and State Elections to implement electronic voting in part from 1999 elections and in total since 2002 elections...
(EVM) was also intended to make it harder for booth capturers to stuff the ballot boxes with their votes by enabling a five-minute delay between each vote entered as against hundreds of votes in the same time using ballot papers (stamped by a group of 3–4). The EVMs also possess a "close" button which can be used by the polling officer to deactivate the machines. Despite this, booth capturing continues to happen, albeit at a much reduced rate and many candidates who lose elections in India regularly complain that their opponents indulged in booth capturing to win.