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Maharashtra Assembly polls: Police constable faces trouble after posting photo of postal ballot on social media

Government officials and police cast their votes using postal ballots during elections. Faces case for violating poll code

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Maharashtra police have registered a case against a police constable after he posted a photograph of his postal vote on his social media page.

According to police, constable Ganesh Shinde exercised his franchise via postal ballot for the Ashti assembly constituency in Beed district. However, Shinde, before casting his vote, allegedly clicked a photograph of the ballot paper and uploaded it on social media.

Balasaheb Wakchaure, returning officer of Malabar Hill seat in south Mumbai said the police constable clicked the picture from a polling booth at a facilitation centre and uploaded it to his social media account. Postal ballots are provided for government officials to exercise their franchise during elections. Facilitation centres have been set up for government staff and police personnel to cast their votes on postal ballot.

Polling officials said the voters were prohibited from using mobile phones inside polling booths and votes had to be cast in complete privacy.

Returning officer Wakchaure said a case has been registered against Shinde at Gaodevi police station for violating the secrecy of the ballot paper.

The polling of votes for 288-Maharashtra Assembly election will be on November 20 and the votes will be counted on November 23.