Ahead of the upcoming by-elections on 20 November, Samajwadi Party (SP) Uttar Pradesh Chief, Shyam Lal Pal, has written to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). He urged authorities to not allow police personnel to check voter IDs at polling stations.
In his letter, Pal requested that the Returning Officer, District Magistrates, General Observers, and police officials receive a written directive, clarifying that only Polling Officers should have the authority to verify voter IDs on election day.
Pal’s letter emphasized that the responsibility for checking voter IDs rests solely with the Polling Officer, not the police, and highlighted concerns over the potential misuse of power by law enforcement.
He alleged that during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, police personnel at polling stations had overstepped their authority, particularly targeting Samajwadi Party supporters.
Additionally, the SP leader claimed that Muslim women voters were coerced into removing their veils, instilling fear and causing many women to leave without casting their votes.
This, he argued, led to a significant dip in voter turnout and a negative impact on the election results.
“Many of them left the polling stations without casting their votes. A significant number of SP supporters returned without exercising their voting rights, which affected the election and led to a decline in voter turnout at polling stations,” Shyam Lal Pal stated.
Allegations Of Voter Slip Distribution Failures
Further raising concerns, Pal accused the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) of failing to distribute voter slips in areas with a high concentration of SP supporters, especially among Muslim communities.
“A large number of voters are unaware of their booth numbers and voter serial numbers, which is impacting the election. Officials must distribute 100 percent of voter slips to ensure voters can exercise their right to vote,” he further added.
Additionally, Pal alleged undue influence in the Karhal Legislative Assembly by-election constituency, where he accused BJP candidate Anujesh Pratap Singh of attempting to sway the election.
The letter asserted, “The Election Commission must assign a videographer to record 100 percent of Anujesh Pratap Singh’s movements at polling stations on election day to ensure a fair election.”
Voters in Uttar Pradesh will cast their ballots for nine seats, including Meerapur, Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Karhal, Sishamau, Phulpur, Katehari, and Majhawan, on 20 November. Officials will declare the results on 23 November.
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