The Election Commission (EC) has moved to suspend several Uttar Pradesh police officers following allegations of misconduct during the ongoing bypolls. The action comes after complaints surfaced, including claims of voter intimidation, prompting the EC to take swift steps, particularly against officers stationed in Kanpur’s Sisamau assembly constituency.
The action follows instructions from Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, who directed district election officers (DEOs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to ensure fair and seamless voting. Officials were also urged to promptly address complaints and provide updates on social media, tagging the complainants to ensure transparency.
The Election Commission’s intervention followed a video shared by Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav, which claimed instances of voter harassment. Yadav demanded the suspension of officers unlawfully verifying voter cards and Aadhaar IDs. In response, Kanpur police confirmed the suspension of the sub-inspectors involved and emphasized the need for strict adherence to election protocols.
The Samajwadi Party accused authorities of targeting specific communities and obstructing their right to vote. In contrast, the BJP rejected these allegations, calling for stricter identity verification for burqa-clad voters. The BJP also raised concerns about “fake voting” in several assembly constituencies, including Sisamau.
Voting began at 7 am across nine assembly constituencies, including Katehari, Karhal, Mirapur, and Ghaziabad, with an 11 am turnout of 20.51%, according to Election Commission data. Kundarki reported the highest turnout at 28.54%, while Ghaziabad had the lowest at 12.56%.
