Pune, February 8 Authorities have initiated action against Zilla Parishad election contestant Arjun Sinh Mohite Patil, who allegedly took his minor son inside a polling booth to cast his vote, an official said on Sunday.
A viral video shows the 14-year-old boy, accompanied by his father, allegedly casting a vote in the Zilla Parishad elections in Maharashtra's Solapur district.
Arjun Sinh Mohite Patil's son is seen standing next to him inside a polling booth at Yashwant Nagar in Akluj, and pressing the EVM button during the polls held on Saturday.
Deputy Collector Santosh Deshmukh said the incident amounted to a violation of voting confidentiality.
"It was the responsibility of polling officials to prevent the candidate from taking the minor inside the voting compartment. Police personnel deployed outside the polling booth should not have allowed the minor to enter the booth," he said.
Looking at the video, it does not appear that the presiding officer sought assistance from the police personnel to prevent the violation of voting confidentiality, he said.
"The video clearly shows the candidate taking his son to the EVM (enclosure) and explaining to him how to cast a vote. Action is being initiated against the voter (Mohite Patil), police personnel, and the presiding officer of the poll booth," Deshmukh added.
After casting his vote, Mohite Patil told reporters that his son only wanted to see how voting was done.
"Polling officials objected, but I requested them to allow him to stand next to me while I voted. I do not think there is anything objectionable in this," he had said.