Four people accused of booth capturing were issued show-cause notices and told to deposit Rs 5.02 lakh as the cost district administration had to bear for the re-polling or face demolition of their illegal property to make the recovery. The notices were issued to the family members of the four accused later identified as Ajay Singh, Saurabh Chouhan, Rampratap alias Raju Singh and Dharmendra Singh on June 27, the day re-polling had to be held in Pachokhara village of Bhind district. The first phase of polls took place at Pachokhara for the post of sarpanch, panch, members of janpad panchayat and zila panchayat on June 25. At polling booth number 52, a girls schools, the four accused reportedly barged in and tampered with the votes in the ballot box. Requesting anonymity, a senior official of Bhind district said: "All the four accused are residents of Pachokhara village and a member of their family was a candidate. They belong to affluent families and are often seen influencing voters." After the incident, the district administration imitated process for re-polling on June 27. During the day of re-polling, Lahar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) AR Prajapati issued show-cause notices to the absconding accused. The notice said for the re-polling process, 70 police officers and personnel, 10 polling officers along with others officers had to be posted on June 26 and 27. These employees had to be given two days of salary, along with snacks, food, tents, fans, drinking water and videography material for the polling process for which a total of Rs 5.02 lakh had to be spent. Newsletter | Click to get the day's best explainers in your inbox "Government would not have to bear these expenses had the need for a re-polling not risen. You are hereby asked to deposit this sum immediately failing which the illegal structures would be demolished to make the recovery," the notice added. While these notices were handed over to the families of the accused, bulldozers were brought in and stationed at the local police station. But the polling process went on smoothly and the four accused were also arrested by the end of the day. Speaking to The Indian Express, AR Prajapati said: "All the four accused where amongst those habitual offenders who were made to sign a bond of Rs 50,000 with assurance of good behaviour. This bond has been forfeited while now the notices will be a part of court proceedings with the accused being sent to jail."
