The Madhya Pradesh Police have filed charges against 17 people for illegally clicking and circulating photos while voting during the state assembly elections.17 people booked for clicking pictures of polling in Madhya PradeshThe accused were booked on Wednesday based on a complaint lodged by the additional returning officer in Vidisha district, who argued that sharing visuals from polling stations violated election commission rules.According to collector Umashankar Bhargav, the officers application highlighted how some voters managed to sneak mobile phones into booths during the November 16 polls. They then took photos of their ballot papers and spread them via social media.District officials emphasised that such irresponsible acts destroy the confidentiality of voting while setting a precedent that impacts public faith in electoral systems. They demanded prompt action against violators.Mobiles are prohibited inside polling stations“Mobiles are strictly prohibited inside polling stations. But these individuals took devices secretly, clicked images of their votes and uploaded them online. This breaches the election commissions regulations around voting secrecy,” said deputy collector Harshal Choudhary.Following this incident, the police filed a case under the Indian Penal Code and Representation of the People Act against 17 accused based in the Sironj area. Investigations will examine security footage to determine how mobiles entered the booths and if staff showed negligence.The photo leaks sparked concern about whether the election commissions strict no-mobile policy had been breached due to oversight from officials responsible for enforcing rules.However, authorities underscored that the regulatory body ensures water-tight supervision across tens of thousands of polling centres during polls. Isolated incidents get promptly reported and acted against, they added.The seizure of phones is mandatory at entry points while force assists flying squads responding to violations. But rarely, rogue elements do manage to outwit layers of scrutiny.The MP assembly polls concluded on November 16, with results due on December 8. As candidates await verdict day anxiously, officials emphasised that seasonal election fervour should not justify flouting Democratic principles or processes.The state chief electoral officer said enforcement mechanisms generally succeed in deterring small-scale malpractices from growing into systematic threats. But constant vigilance remains vital with stakes running high.
