Madhavi Latha booked for asking Muslim women voters to lift veil

BJP candidate for Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat K Madhavi Latha was on Monday booked by election authorities after a video clip in which she was purportedly asking burqa-clad women Muslim voters to show their faces to compare with the photo identity cards surfaced.

In the video, she was seen asking the women voters at a polling booth to lift their burqas and show their faces so that she could verify their identity.

"A case is registered in Malakpet police station against Madhavi Latha, contesting candidate, BJP, under Sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of IPC and Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act," the Hyderabad Collector said in a post on X.

She was also seen telling the policemen to allow voters into polling booths only after a thorough check. Polling for the total 17 Lok Sabha seats was held in Telangana on Monday.

Section 171C deals with interference or attempts to interfere with the free exercise of any electoral right. Section 186 is related to voluntarily obstructing any public servant in the discharge of public function, while 505 is applied for inciting or likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community.

Madhavi Latha is taking on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the Hyderabad Lok Sabha segment.