Lucknow: Acting on complaints, the Election Commission on Wednesday ordered the suspension of police personnel violating its guidelines on checking voters and stopping them from casting votes in the Uttar Pradesh by-polls, 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 based on video evidence.
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.
Taking cognisance of the complaints on social media by the Samajwadi Party that some communities were prevented from voting during the by-polls, 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.
माननीय सर्वोच्च न्यायालय और निर्वाचन आयोग से अपील है कि अभी-अभी प्राप्त वीडियो साक्ष्यों के आधार पर तत्काल संज्ञान लेते हुए दंडात्मक कार्रवाई करें और निष्पक्ष चुनावी प्रक्रिया को भी सुनिश्चित करें। जो भी पुलिस अधिकारी वोटर कार्ड और आधार आईडी चेक कर रहे हैं, उन्हें वीडियो के आधार… pic.twitter.com/VHQ1aAcIjM
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 20, 2024
They were told to take immediate cognisance of all complaints 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.
