‘Ensure Fair Bypolls’: Poll Body Takes Action Against UP Policemen Amid Burqa Voter Row – News18

Last Updated:November 20, 2024, 15:28 IST

Acting on complaints regarding checking of voters’ identity, the Election Commission ordered the suspension of police personnel for violating guidelines.

Amid the ongoing voting for the bypolls in the nine Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday took action against the state police personnel after a controversy erupted over the checking of voters’ identity cards. Acting on the allegations of violating the set guidelines, the poll body asked the authorities to ensure fair polls.

In view of the complaints regarding checking of voters’ identity, the poll body also ordered the suspension of police personnel for violating its guidelines.

The matter was highlighted after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav urged the Commission to suspend all police officers who are checking voter cards and Aadhaar IDs. Tweeting about the same, the SP president also shared a video to affirm his claims.

What Did The EC Say?

Taking cognisance of the complaints by the Samajwadi Party that some communities were prevented from voting during the bypolls, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar gave strict instructions to the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Uttar Pradesh, district election officers (DEOs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to ensure fair and smooth polling process.

The EC instructed the officials in-charge to take immediate cognisance of all complaints and take prompt action.

“No eligible voter should be prevented from voting. Any kind of biased attitude during voting will not be tolerated. On receiving a complaint, there will be an immediate investigation. If anyone is found guilty, strict action will be taken,” the ECI said in a statement.

Taking to X, CEO UP said, “The Election Commission has taken seriously the complaint of checking the voter’s identity card. In this regard, on receiving such complaint in Meerapur Assembly and Sisamau, two police personnel each were suspended and all have been directed that the voter will be identified by the polling personnel only.”

BJP Questions Burqa-clad Women

While the Samajwadi Party accused Uttar Pradesh police personnel of stopping several people belonging to a particular community from casting votes in bypolls, BJP, on the other hand, alleged that the faces of some burqa-clad women voters did not match their IDs.

Earlier in the day, BJP’s Akhilesh Kumar Awasthi in a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh asked to ensure proper checking of burqa-clad women and claimed that the women have been allowed to vote without their identity being checked.

Location :

Uttar Pradesh, India