A case has been registered against Riaz Pathan, a police constable affiliated with Sewree Police Station, for allegedly violating election secrecy rules during the 2024 Assembly Elections.
According to the Election Officer of the Byculla Assembly Constituency, the incident took place on November 14, 2024, between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Pathan, whose voter registration details fall under Koregaon Assembly Constituency,Satara district, cast his vote via postal ballot.
The complaint alleges that after casting his postal vote, Pathan photographed his ballot using his mobile phone and circulated the image on social media. This act not only violated the secrecy of the voting process but also disobeyed the legal instructions issued to him.
The incident was reported by the officer in charge at Postal Ballot Facilitation Centre Booth No. 1, Byculla. Subsequently, a case has been filed under Section 223 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) along with Section 128(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, against Pathan.
This breach raises serious concerns about maintaining the integrity of the election process, particularly by individuals entrusted with law enforcement duties. Further investigation is underway.