Chapra: A two-member team of the Election Commission (EC) today (May 1, 2004) began an inquiry into the complaints of booth capturing and violence allegedly by ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) activists during the April 26 polling for Chapra Lok Sabha seat where party supremo Laloo Yadav crossed swords with Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

The team comprising K J Rao and Ananth Kumar arrived from Patna stopping at several places under Sonepur Assembly segment of the constituency and inquiring about the situation during elections.

They walked down to villagers, leaving behind State officials and securitymen accompanying them.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...
Political Parties in India

While locals at Gangajal impressed upon the members of the poll panel that election was peaceful, hardly five kms away at Bharpura, voters alleged that the district administration was unfair and attempted to rig the elections in favour of the RJD chief.

The commission officials alighted from their vehicle at Sitaganj and Dumri also where a group of RJD supporters sitting on dharna alleged that Bharatiya Janata Dal (BJP) activists prevented them from voting and captured booths.

The RJD chief met the EC team on its arrival at the Patna airport and sought to depose before it in Chapra later in the day to explain his position.

The Commission had on April 29 ordered a detailed inquiry into the complaints of booth capturing in Chapra constituency following appeals by National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to countermand the polls in view of large-scale violence and rigging allegedly by RJD activists.