Lucknow: A day after filing complaint with Uttar Pradesh Election Commission over the house arrest of senior leaders in Kannauj, Samajwadi Party on Monday alleged large scale malfunction of EVMs in Kannauj and accused the police and administration of working in favour of the BJP at the behest of Director General of Police (DGP) in UP.
Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary and Badaun MP Dharmendra Yadav met chief election officer in UP and lodged a formal complaint on Monday morning.
“Just like in the previous election phases, the EVMs are malfunctioning on a large scale in the fourth phase. SSP Kannauj Amrendra singh and few other police officers have been trying to rig the elections by forcing people to vote in favour of the ruling party. All this is being done at the behest of DGP, UP Police. He (DGP) should be removed immediately as he won’t allow fair elections to take place. He is working in favour of the incumbent party and is terorrising the voters,” SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said after meeting the state election officer.
Chaudhary said EVMs in the minority-dominated areas were being “made to malfunction”, many voters found their names missing and many were stopped from voting. “This is a criminal act that the administration is indulging in. They are working in favour of the party in power and it violates the model code of conduct.”
“Kannauj police officers are working for the BJP. Our party workers were given red cards and false cases were filed against them. We have demanded from the state Election Commission that the DGP be removed immediately for free and fair polls in the state,” he added.
On Sunday, SP state chief Naresh Uttam Patel had written to the state poll panel in connection with the incident, which came to light after pictures of police personnel camping outside senior leaders went viral on the social media. According to sources, more than a dozen leaders were put under “house arrest”, which prevented them from carrying out any form of political activity.
Former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s wife, Dimple Yadav, is contesting on a party ticket from Kannauj, which goes to polls today in the fourth phase on April 29.
Samajwadi Party’s Anil Arya alleged that the party leaders were being harassed by the local police at the behest of the BJP government. “Not even one BJP leader has been put under house arrest, but our leaders are being stopped by the police and have been trapped inside their houses,” he said. Similar allegations were made by another SP leader Tehseen Siddiqui. “This is a blatant misuse of power and democracy is being murdered by such acts,” he said.
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