UP by-elections | SabrangIndia News Related to Human Rights Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:48:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://sabrangindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Favicon_0.png UP by-elections | SabrangIndia 32 32 UP by-elections: Reports of serious disturbances and disruption of voters https://sabrangindia.in/up-by-elections-reports-of-serious-disturbances-and-disruption-of-voters/ Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:31:14 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=38855 The Samajwadi Party has accused police of deterring voters in Uttar Pradesh, with visuals showing Muslim voters in Meerapur and Kundarki assembly constituencies refusing to cast their ballots despite having valid ID cards and slips. Police reportedly verified voting slips and IDs, sparking protest and voting malpractices; the Kanpur Police Commissionerate has suspended officers who obstructed voters through unwarranted ID checks; similarly the SP Moradabad also informed the public through social media that action has been taken against errant officers

The post UP by-elections: Reports of serious disturbances and disruption of voters appeared first on SabrangIndia.

]]> By-elections for 15 assembly constituencies across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, and Uttarakhand are underway, with reports and allegations of serious voter suppression coming in from several locations in Uttar Pradesh. In the Meerapur Assembly constituency, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has accused police officers of obstructing voters, particularly Muslim voters in Muzaffarnagar, from casting their ballots despite valid ID cards and voting slips. Voters were allegedly also beaten up! Multiple videos have surfaced showing voters being denied entry to polling booths by the UP police.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav shared footage of police misbehaving with voters at booth 318. In the Kundarki constituency, SP candidate Hazi Rizwan lodged complaints of police misconduct, alleging voter intimidation and physical assault on polling agents. Additionally, voters in Kanpur’s Sisamau Assembly constituency reported being forcibly stopped by police.

In response to the Yadav’s X post and allegation sparked surfaced on social media against the Police personnel, Police Commissionerate Kanpur Naga informed Akhilesh Yadav around 1 p.m. that, “The tweet has been acknowledged. The concerned sub-inspectors have been suspended, and all personnel have been instructed to ensure full compliance with the election process.”

 

Interestingly, the alert and assertive behaviour by the opposition Samajwadi Party also drew a similar response from the Moradabad Police

Meerapur Assembly Constituency (UP)

At 9:22 AM on Wednesday, the Samajwadi Party (SP) raised serious concerns regarding the ongoing by-polls in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district, specifically in the Meerapur Assembly Constituency. Through its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the party claimed that police officers were obstructing voters at booths 178 and 179 in Kithoda, within the Meerapur assembly constituency. According to the party, voters were being prevented from casting their ballots, despite having valid voting slips and ID cards.

The party called on the Election Commission to intervene, urging it to take immediate action to ensure a free and fair voting process. The allegations add to growing concerns of electoral irregularities as voting continues in the region.

However, multiple videos circulating on the social media platform X show that Muslim voters were and are being prevented from casting their votes. In the footage, voters can be seen holding their voting slips and ID cards, but police personnel are reportedly blocking their access to the polling booths.

 

SP Kundarki candidate Moh. Rizwan confronts police over voter checks

In Kundarki, Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party candidate Hazi Rizwan confronted police officers who were checking voter IDs and slips at a barricade near a polling booth. Rizwan also lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging police misconduct, including assaulting polling agents and obstructing voters, particularly in Milak Sikri.

 

Rizwan also complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that police personnel are physically assaulting their polling agents in the area. The candidate claims that the police’s actions are aimed at disrupting the election process and intimidating the party’s agents during the polling.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Haji Mohd Rizwan (@mohdrizwanmla)

SP candidate Rizwan has raised the allegations of police misconduct during the ongoing by-polls, particularly at village Milak Sikri, where polling booths 306 and 307 in the Kundarki assembly constituency are located.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Haji Mohd Rizwan (@mohdrizwanmla)

Shockingly, voters in Kundarki have alleged that polling booth officials are asking them which party they voted for. Those pressing the Samajwadi Party’s cycle button claim they are being treated rudely by the administration and, in some cases, are being denied the right to vote altogether.

 

Rizwan claimed that SP supporters and other voters were subjected to extreme police atrocities, with reports of intimidation and obstruction. According to the candidate, the local administration was actively preventing and threatening Samajwadi Party supporters from exercising their right to vote.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Haji Mohd Rizwan (@mohdrizwanmla)

 

Sishamau Assembly Constituency (UP)

Also, reports from Kanpur’s Sishamau Assembly constituency, particularly in Chamnaganj Ward 107, alleged that voters are being forcibly prevented by the police and administration from casting their votes.

 

SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav questions ECI over the allegation

SP Chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav strongly criticised the Election Commission (ECI) for its failure to prevent electoral irregularities during the ongoing by-elections. He demanded that the ECI ensure that the administration does not discourage voters. He emphasised that if the Election Commission truly exists to uphold democratic processes, it should intervene immediately to prevent the police from unnecessarily checking voter IDs, blocking roads, or seizing voter IDs. He expressed concern about voters being threatened with jail for possessing legitimate IDs, calling such actions an act of intimidation aimed at suppressing votes.

Yadav further criticized the slowdown of the voting process and urged the ECI to take immediate action to speed up the process, extend voting hours if necessary, and prevent the waste of voters’ time. He condemned the administration for not staying neutral and representing the government’s power, instead acting in favour of certain parties. He also demanded that real-time action be taken against corrupt officials, ensuring that any electoral malpractice captured on video is addressed swiftly.

 

Kanpur Commissionerate orders suspension of police personnel who stopped voters

In response to the Yadav’s X post and allegation sparked surfaced on social media against the Police personnel, Police Commissionerate Kanpur Naga informed the Akhilesh Yadav that, “The tweet has been acknowledged. The concerned sub-inspectors have been suspended, and all personnel have been instructed to ensure full compliance with the election process.”

Related:

Vote for Democracy (VFD) releases report on the conduct of General Election 2024

Counting of votes and post-counting remedies to the victim candidates of a tainted election process

ECI faces ire over lack of transparency and discrepancy in poll data, the poll body dismisses the allegations in a detailed response

The post UP by-elections: Reports of serious disturbances and disruption of voters appeared first on SabrangIndia.

]]>