U.P. bypolls: SP says cops deterring voters; Election Commission cracks down on policemen

Police personnel tries to maintain law and order after an alleged incident of stone pelting during UP’s Meerapur Assembly constituency bypoll, in Muzaffarnagar, UP, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. Allegations of police personnel deterring voters from casting their ballot were also reported during the UP bypolls.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Acting on complaints, the Election Commission on Wednesday (November 20, 2024) ordered suspension of police personnel violating its guidelines on checking of voters and stopping them from casting votes in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls, officials said.

This comes after SP president Akhilesh Yadav urged the EC to suspend all police officers who are checking voter cards and Aadhaar IDs on basis of video evidence.

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Acting on the Commission’s directions, district election officers and superintendents of police, after verifying the complaints, have suspended the police personnel for their conduct.

Both the SP and the BJP called for the Election Commission (EC) to intervene.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav urged the Supreme Court and the EC to take immediate cognisance of alleged voter suppression based on video evidence, take punitive action and ensure fair elections. The party requested the EC earlier to issue instructions that on polling day, police officers are not allowed to check the ID of voters, only polling officers are permitted to do so.

In a post on X, Mr. Yadav said, “All police officers who are checking voter cards and Aadhaar IDs should be immediately suspended on the basis of video evidence. Police have no right to check Aadhaar ID cards or identity cards,” Mr. Yadav said.

He shared a video of party candidate Sumbul Rana from Meerapur in Muzaffarnagar district, accusing police personnel of trying to deter people from voting.

“We are going from village to village, people are being harassed and are not being allowed to vote. Police officers are troubling people, telling them that they cannot vote. They are asking for one ID, and then asking for another ID. They are checking all IDs, but still, people are not being allowed to cast their votes,” she told reporters.

Ms. Rana claimed that such complaints were coming from Nayagaon, Nagla Buzuk, Sambalheda, and other areas in the constituency. “We are raising complaints but officers are not checking it,” she alleged.

Countering the opposition party’s claims, BJP spokesperson Manish Shukla said the Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav are scared of losing in the ongoing bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.

“The Samajwadi Party has lost trust in the voters. That is why they have gathered external disruptive elements in the bypoll areas. According to several media reports, the faces of women wearing burqas are not matching with their identity cards,” Mr. Shukla said.

“The BJP appeals to the EC and the administration to ensure that voting is not allowed without matching the identity cards and that the EC’s instructions are strictly followed,” he added.

On social media platform X, SP’s media cell also highlighted alleged poll code violations at some locations, including the Kundarki seat in Moradabad. It said that the party’s agents were not being allowed near the polling stations.

Moradabad DM Anuj Singh said there were reports from a party alleging “bogus voting” in Bikanpur and claims that the administration has not allowed their agents.

“We got these claims verified, I myself spoke to the polling officer in Bikanpur and found that voting is underway smoothly and no voter is facing any problem. There is adequate security presence also,” Mr. Singh added.

In Kanpur, SP candidate Naseem Solanki alleged her party voters were complaining of foul play by the administration, and alleging “biased behaviour” by the administration.

Taking cognisance of the complaints on social media by the Samajwadi Party that some communities were prevented from voting during the bypolls, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar gave strict instructions to chief electoral officer of Uttar Pradesh and all district election officers and returning officers to ensure fair and smooth voting process.

They were told to take immediate cognisance of all complaints and take prompt action and inform the complainant through social media also by tagging them.

No eligible voter should be prevented from voting and any kind of biased attitude will not be tolerated, they were warned.

If anyone is found guilty after receiving a complaint, strict action should be taken, the poll machinery was told, the officials said.

Voting is underway in nine assembly seats of Uttar Pradesh.