Madhavi Latha Booked For Checking Voter IDs Of Burqa-clad Women At Hyderabad Polling Booth, Says ‘I Have Right’

Madhavi Latha, the BJP candidate from Hyderabad, landed into a controversy on Monday after a video of her checking voter IDs of Muslim women at a polling booth in her constituency went viral on social media. The incident occurred amid the ongoing polling in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha election 2024.

As per the video shared by news agency ANI, Latha was allegedly seen checking the voter ID cards of women belonging to the Muslim community by removing the burqa for verification. The BJP candidate visited a polling booth in Azampur in the constituency.

Speaking about the video, the BJP leader said that she had only requested the women to verify their identity and there was nothing wrong with this.

“I am a candidate. As per law, a candidate has the right to check the ID cards without the facemasks. I am not a man, I am a woman and with a lot of humbleness, I have only requested them – can I please see and verify with the ID cards? If somebody wants to make a big issue out of it, that means they are scared,” she said.

Following this, a case was registered in Malakpet Police Station against Madhavi Latha under sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of IPC and Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act.

Madhavi Latha is contesting the ongoing Lok sabha polls against AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and BRS’ Gaddam Srinivas Yadav from this high-profile Hyderabad seat.

Congress Attacks BJP

Reacting to the controversy, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy accused the BJP of trying to polarise the Muslim votes and said that such actions by the saffron party would help Asaduddin Owaisi to win from Hyderabad.

On being asked about a video where BJP candidate Madhavi Latha is seen checking IDs of voters, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy said, “I have not seen (the video) but BJP is simply trying to polarise Muslim votes to win but all these issues are going to help Asaduddin Owaisi. It is not going to benefit BJP.”

Explore in-depth coverage of voting in Telangana , Odisha , and Andhra Pradesh during Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 4 polling.