UP Bypolls: Akhilesh Yadav Accuses Police Of Stopping Voters; EC Takes Action (image-X/yadavakhilesh)
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: As bypoll for nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh are underway, Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav accused the police administration of stopping a section of voters from casting their votes. In his latest tweet, he asked all those who were stopped to exercise their voting rights following the timely intervention of the Election Commission (EC).
The Uttar Pradesh police has reportedly suspended the sub-inspectors following the accusations. “The concerned sub-inspectors have been suspended and everyone has been directed to ensure complete compliance with the election process,” the Kanpur Nagar Police said, as quoted by ABP.
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Earlier, the SP leader appealed to the Supreme Court and the EC to take immediate and punitive action after videos surfaced of people complaining that police officials were preventing them from voting and checking their identity cards.
“All the police officers who are checking voter cards and Aadhaar IDs should be immediately suspended on the basis of the video. The police have no right to check Aadhaar ID cards or identity cards,” wrote the SP leader.
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
A few hours later, Yadav informed the public that the “Election Commission has also become alert, and now it is giving assurance that those who have been stopped from voting should go and cast their vote once again.”
He also advised the public that if anyone stops them from voting, then they can inform the poll body or people from political parties present on the premises.
उत्तर प्रदेश में जिन मतदाताओं को पुलिस-प्रशासन द्वारा वोट डालने से रोका गया है, वो एक बार फिर से वोट डालने जाएं। इस चुनावी गड़बड़ी की सूचना हर तरफ़ फैल गई है। चुनाव आयोग भी सतर्क हो गया है और अब उसकी तरफ़ से ये आश्वासन मिल रहा है कि जिन लोगों को वोट डालने से रोका गया है, वो एक…
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 20, 2024
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“Dishonest officials of the administration and police will not be spared. Their video evidence will become the basis for legal action against them,” the party leader added.
As per the ECI, 20.4 percent of the electorate had turned up to cast their vote by 11 am. While Ghaziabad Sadar saw the lowest voter turnout with 12.87 percent, the highest was recorded with 28.4 percent and 26.18 percent, respectively.
