Vote-rigging fears spark polling booth mobile phone ban

Published on Sunday 13 April 2008 21:48

MOBILE phones were banned from Italian polling stations yesterday in an attempt to stamp out vote rigging.

The election, the 61st since the Second World War, saw controversial former media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi attempt to return to power in a contest against Walter Veltroni, the former mayor of Rome.

In previous elections, there have been cases where the Mafia paid voters 50 (35) if they took a photo of their ballot paper to prove who they put their "X" down for.

The department of prisons said it had reports that inmates in jails in Palermo, Naples and Reggio Calabria – all in areas which are strongholds for the Mafia or other organised crime clans – had been sending messages on who to vote for.

Voters were asked to hand over their phones when they arrived at polling stations. Those who failed to do so and were caught with a phone faced a fine of up to 1,000 (700) or six months in jail.

Police in Mortegliano near Udine, in the north-east, revealed that a 28-year-old man had been arrested after taking a photograph of his ballot paper.

Police were called after the noise of a camera click was heard from his booth. The mobile phone was confiscated.

The area is traditionally right wing and a safe haven for Silvio Berlusconi or the xenophobic Northern League.

In Rome two mobile phones were seized in polling stations after they rang out and their owners – one a traffic warden – were given penalty summons. A spokesman for the interior ministry said: "We take very seriously reports that people have been offered money in exchange for proving who they voted for."

Mr Berlusconi, 71, leader of the centre-right People of Freedom party was favourite to win the election.

If he succeeds, it will be Mr Berlusconi's third stint as prime minister.

The general election was called in January after Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition government was defeated in a confidence vote.