SP demands repolling on Kundarki seat, ECI suspended U.P. cops for rule violations as uproar dominates polling

Samajwadi Party demands repolling in Kundarki Assembly seat due to alleged fake voting and bias, sparking Election Commission investigation.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday (November 20, 2024) demanded repolling in the Kundarki Assembly seat alleging fake voting and systematic effort to prevent voters of a particular community from reaching polling centres.

Mohammad Rizwan, the SP candidate in the Kundarki Assembly seat wrote a letter to the Election Commission demanding cancellation of the election.

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Mr. Rizwan alleged that efforts were made to prevent voters from voting. “Since morning the administration and police acted with bias and intimidated against our supporters, I request you to cancel the poll and conduct a repolling on the seat, the SP is boycotting the poll due to this rigging,” reads the letter by Mr. Riwzan. Kundarki has a high-concentration of Muslim population. 

The SP alleged multiple incidents of fake voting by the ruling party supporters asking the Election Commission to take cognizance. “Information of fake voting by the BJP leaders at booth number 398 in Kundarki assembly constituency of Moradabad. Election Commission should take cognizance and ensure fair voting,” said the party. The SP alleged fake voting and irregularities on all the nine Assembly seats going for bypolls. 

Amid the uproar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) asked authorities in Uttar Pradesh to ensure fair bypolls after controversy erupted over checking of voters’ identity on many seats and alleged attempts to stop some voters from polling. The poll body has suspended seven police personnel so far for violating voter guidelines based on complaints by the SP.

Action has been taken in cases affecting the voting process in Sisamau Assembly under Kanpur district with two police sub-inspectors have been suspended after a video of them checking voter ID cards went viral, similarly in Kundarki seat in Moradabad a sub-inspector and two constables were removed from duty and departmental action initiated against them.