EC Issues Suspensions Against UP Cops for Violating Election Guidelines During Bypolls
While some of the Uttar Pradesh police have been accused of election malpractice during the current by-elections in the state, the Election Commission has already taken swift action against some of the alleged offenders. Suspending multiple officers, on complaints of harassment of voters and identity checks, among other egregious acts, is what the EC recently ordered after some allegations in the Sisamau assembly constituency of Kanpur.
The action comes after the Samajwadi Party (SP) raised serious concerns over election fairness. SP President Akhilesh Yadav shared a video alleging voter harassment and unlawful checking of voter cards and Aadhaar IDs by police, demanding the suspension of the officers involved. In response, the EC directed district election officers (DEOs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to ensure smooth and impartial voting, with strict instructions to address all complaints. Transparency was prioritized, with the EC urging officials to notify complainants through social media.
अगर निर्वाचन आयोग का कोई जीता-जागता अस्तित्व है तो वो जीवंत होकर, प्रशासन के द्वारा वोटिंग को हतोत्साहित करने के लिए तुरंत सुनिश्चित करे:
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 20, 2024
- लोगों की आईडी पुलिस चेक न करे।
- रास्ते बंद न किये जाएं।
- वोटर्स के आईडी ज़ब्त न किये जाएं।
- असली आईडी को नक़ली आईडी बताकर जेल… pic.twitter.com/4Qddtlgc19
The SP allegations referred to targeted harassment, especially directed against certain communities and preventing them from voting. The BJP countered these with allegations that actually, the identification process was not being done for the voters wearing burqas and were free to vote. "In constituencies like Sisamau, there was a fear of fake voting," said BJP leader Akhilesh Kumar Awasthi, in a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh, urging the CEO to increase the checking process on voters wearing burqas.
Even though voting began in the early hours of the day at 7 am across nine assembly constituencies, the voter turnout has been recorded at 20.51% till 11 am. While Kundarki constituency saw the highest of 28.54%, Ghaziabad constituency was at the bottom with only a 12.56% turnout. The Election Commission is closely watching the situation to ensure that the election is conducted fairly and without any untoward incidents in Uttar Pradesh.
The Election Commission's move on this clarifies the importance of maintaining election integrity and ensuring that every citizen's right to vote is not restricted by any form of hindrance. Suspending the workers tells much that transgressions of election rules will not be tolerated and that severe action will be meted out if there are people planning on thwarting the process.
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