ECI Suspends Polling Staff In UP
The six officers ordered to be suspended were deployed at polling stations 21 and 26. The ECI has directed the authorities concerned to prepare charge-sheets against them and submit draft copies for its vetting within 10 days of the letter, before formally issuing them. Apart from these six, the ECI has also suspected 21 more officials which include two presiding officers, three polling officers and 16 police personnel deployed at polling stations 21 and 26
New Delhi: Taking cognisance of serious lapses during the Legislative Council polls in Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday ordered suspension of six supervisory officers and initiated disciplinary proceedings against 21 other personnel over polling irregularities that led to the cancellation of voting at three polling stations in Agra Teacher’s Constituency. The repolling for these three booths took place on Monday. Out of those suspended two are sector magistrates, and four are police personnel.
“With utmost concern, the Commission has observed that the officers entrusted with supervisory responsibilities failed to ensure effective supervision and maintain proper control within and in the vicinity of the polling stations. Such dereliction of duty on the part of officers holding supervisory positions is viewed seriously and cannot be condoned,” the ECI said in its letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh (CEOUP).
The six officers ordered to be suspended were deployed at polling stations 21 and 26. The ECI has directed the authorities concerned to prepare charge-sheets against them and submit draft copies for its vetting within 10 days of the letter, before formally issuing them. Apart from these six, the ECI has also suspected 21 more officials which include two presiding officers, three polling officers and 16 police personnel deployed at polling stations 21 and 26.
The Commission has also directed the Agra divisional commissioner to immediately fix responsibility for the incidents that necessitated the re-poll, including the role of police personnel and polling officials.
"On October 23rd, there was significant rigging during the Legislative Council teachers' constituency elections... As a result, the polling party itself submitted a written statement confirming that booth capturing had taken place. I would like to thank the Election Commission for taking cognizance of the issue and conducting re-polling at these three polling centres today,” Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman said.
The state EC also removed 2007-batch IAS officer Abhay Singh as observer for Gorakhpur-Faizabad Teachers’ MLC poll following a complaint from Bharatiya Janata Party.
Meanwhile, amid controversy over errors found in the electoral rolls published after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the CEOUP has ordered reverification of all entries made by computer operators since the publication of post-SIR final electoral rolls on April 10 and directed that any future digital applications be filed only by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and not by outsourced computer operators.
Meanwhile. CEOUP suspended a Booth Level Officer of Sultanpur for accepting a form 7 for deletion of voters. The form carried forged signature of a person. Action has been taken on BLO for accepting Form 7 without proper verification.