EC orders suspension of 5 cops after complaints of harassment of voters in UP
Lucknow: The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday ordered the suspension of five police personnel and removal of many others accused of violating guidelines by obstructing voters during the Uttar Pradesh bypolls. The action follows complaints of voter suppression and allegations by Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav.
Yadav had earlier urged the EC to suspend police officers who were allegedly checking voter cards and Aadhaar IDs without authorization, submitting video evidence to support his claims.
Two sub-inspectors in Muzaffarnagar have been suspended for “non-compliance” with Election Commission (EC) guidelines, officials said. The action follows complaints about police checking voter identity cards in Moradabad. Investigations revealed lapses in Bhikanpur Kulwara and Milak Siri villages, leading to the removal of one sub-inspector, two head constables, and two women constables from poll duty. They have been reassigned to the police lines.
In a separate case, a police officer entered a polling booth to check on the polling process, violating EC rules. The officer has been suspended, and departmental proceedings will follow.
Similar incidents occurred in Sisamau, Kanpur, prompting further suspensions.
Taking note of the allegations shared on social media, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar instructed the Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh, district election officers, and returning officers to ensure a fair and smooth voting process.
“All complaints must be addressed promptly, and the complainant should be informed of the action taken, including updates on social media,” Kumar directed.
The EC emphasised that no eligible voter should be prevented from casting their ballot and warned that any bias or misconduct by officials would not be tolerated. “Strict action must be taken against anyone found guilty,” officials quoted the EC as saying.
Earlier in the day, Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP-led administration of pressuring voters to refrain from casting their votes in favour of the SP. He claimed that SP supporters are being systematically prevented from voting and alleged that officials are obstructing people from exercising their democratic rights.
Without directly naming Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Yadav alleged that the BJP’s internal strife, including resistance from Delhi and the Deputy Chief Ministers, highlights a fight for survival. “Despite these efforts, SP is poised to win all nine Assembly bypolls. Not a single MLA stands in support of the Chief Minister,” he claimed.
UP man alleges daughter’s murder over bypoll voting in Karhal
A 23-year-old Dalit woman was found dead on Wednesday, with her family alleging she was killed for refusing to vote for the Samajwadi Party (SP) in the Karhal Assembly bypoll. The police have arrested two individuals in connection with the case.
According to the victim’s father, his daughter was abducted on Tuesday afternoon by Prashant Yadav, a resident of Tapa ki Nagaria, with the help of Dr Mohan Katheria. The woman’s body
was discovered in a field near Kanjara village on Wednesday morning.
Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar confirmed the arrests of Yadav and Katheria and said investigations are ongoing.
The incident has ignited a political storm, with the BJP accusing the SP of fostering an atmosphere of terror. “In Karhal, SP leader Prashant Yadav and his associates murdered a Dalit girl just because she refused to vote for the cycle,” the BJP’s state unit posted on X, sharing a video of the victim’s grieving father.
BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary also slammed the SP, while SP president Akhilesh Yadav dismissed the allegations as a conspiracy to defame his party, accusing the BJP of misusing government machinery in the bypoll.
In Karhal, SP candidate Tej Pratap Singh, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s grandson, faces a tough battle against BJP’s Anujesh Pratap Singh.
The bypoll was triggered after Akhilesh Yadav vacated the seat to assume his role as Kannauj MP.
