Booth capture is a form of election fraud common in India and Sri Lanka, where a political party fills a polling station with non-registered party loyalists to prevent opposing votes. It became a criminal offense in India in 1989, but still occurs to some extent. The use of electronic voting machines and laws allowing the government to not count polling stations where booth capture occurs have reduced the incidence of this type of fraud. Other countries, including Sri Lanka, have also experienced booth takeovers, resulting in violent clashes.
Booth capture is a type of election fraud most common in countries like India and Sri Lanka. It’s a very obvious form of tampering with the results of an election, because it’s so clear it’s happening. Previous incidents have resulted in violent clashes at polling stations, especially if two rival candidates or their supporters present at the same polling station. Booth capture tends not to happen in the US as the people running surveys definitely know what to look for to prevent such an event.
Capturing a base booth works like this: At a polling station, members of a particular political party “capture” a booth, filling it with a stream of party loyalists. Typically these loyalists are not legally registered to vote in that particular booth and may vote multiple times for their party member. By keeping the booth occupied, votes for an opposing party are kept lower and people who have a legitimate right to vote may not be able to wait an extended time to cast their vote, or may be so intimidated by fierce apparent crowds that captures a booth that they just don’t vote for.
The practice of booth capture started spreading in India in the 1970s and 1980s. It tended to occur in the northern parts of India at first, and then spread to other parts of the country. In 1989, the Indian government, disgusted with the growing rate of crackdown tactics, passed laws making booth capture a criminal offence. Additionally, the government has created laws that allow the government not to count polling stations where booth takeovers have occurred, thus making the practice much less effective.
Yet the practice still continues to some extent, even with the development of electronic voting machines. These can be closed by people working at a voting venue if they suspect booth takeover is occurring. The laws have certainly reduced the incidence of this type of electoral fraud.
Other countries have also seen cases of booth takeovers. Sri Lanka, in the 1999 elections, had independent reports of several fraudulent events which resulted in more than 50 people being injured. The problem with practicing is that it can be incredibly intimidating. Political parties can hire tough guys who are ready to do violence to anyone who tries to interfere with the practice. The capture in some cases is not limited to a single booth, but to an entire polling station, making it virtually impossible for the opponent who has not adopted the same practice to win an election.
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