New Delhi, April 2 -- "For the right price, I'm willing to do anything. I have orchestrated booth capturing in the past elections. The cost of such operations varies from booth to booth. It can range from one lakh to two lakh, or even escalate to five lakh and ten lakh, depending on the booth's size. In Kashmir, when candidates realize they're losing elections, they take recourse to a staged stone pelting. They employ youth to throw stones, followed by their supporters seizing control of the booths."

Meet Aijaz Ahmad Dar - a Kashmiri activist and a seasoned agent who specializes in "poll management", including booth capturing, promising candidates a guaranteed victory. Long before the Election Commission of India announced the dates for ...