The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday ordered the suspension of police personnel in Uttar Pradesh for violating guidelines on voter checks during the state bypolls. This action follows complaints from the Samajwadi Party (SP), led by Akhilesh Yadav, who alleged that certain voters were being unfairly prevented from casting their votes. SP shared video evidence of police officers checking voter cards and Aadhaar IDs in violation of the EC’s instructions. Upon reviewing these complaints, district election officers and superintendents of police took swift action to suspend the officers involved.
The Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, took serious note of the issue after SP’s allegations surfaced on social media, claiming that certain communities were being denied the right to vote. In response, Kumar directed Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Electoral Officer and all district election officers and returning officers to ensure a fair and smooth election process. They were instructed to act promptly on any complaints, using social media to update the complainants by tagging them. The EC emphasized that no eligible voter should be stopped from voting, warning that any bias or misconduct would not be tolerated.
Election officials were also reminded that strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty after investigations into the complaints. Voting is currently ongoing in nine assembly seats across Uttar Pradesh.
