Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Newslaundry
Newslaundry
National
NL Team

‘No pay, no info on my vehicle’: Drivers allege forced poll duty in Bihar

Election rules allow the use of registered vehicles for official duties, but some claim their vehicles have been used without either consent or due procedure in poll-bound Bihar.

Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan has been closed to the public and turned into a temporary parking ground for vehicles earmarked for election work. In interviews with Newslaundry, several drivers said they were brought to Gandhi Maidan against their will and that their vehicles were effectively “seized” for election duty.

Sanjeet Kumar, a driver from Chhapra, said the police stopped him while he was dropping someone off at the station. “They told me they just needed the vehicle to drop a few staff,” he alleged. “Now my vehicle has been sent directly to election duty. I don’t know where the vehicle is, I haven’t been paid, and I have no place to stay.”

Other drivers shared similar accounts. 

Watch.

From ground reports to interviews, Team Newslaundry is on the ground in Bihar to track every aspect of this election. Your support will directly power our work. Click here.

Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.