Lucknow, Oct 26 The Election Commission has directed that six officials be suspended with immediate effect after they were found guilty of serious lapses, including laxity in supervision and failure to maintain proper control within and around the polling stations, during the voting held on October 23 for Agra Division Teachers’ Constituency.
In a statement issued here on Monday, the office of UP’s chief electoral officer (CEO) said that the suspended officials are Sector Magistrate OP Chak (District Khadi and Village Industries Officer, Agra), Sector Police Officer Harisharan Singh (Inspector, Crime Branch) and Sub-Inspector Sandeep Kumar (posted at Etmadu Daula police station, Agra). These officials were on election duty at Kshetra Panchayat Office, Saiyan.
Three other suspended poll officials were on election duty at Kshetra Panchayat Office, Fatehabad. They are Sector Magistrate Vishal Rathore (Range Forest Officer, Fatehabad, Agra), Sector Police Officer Purushottam Pal (Additional Inspector, Fatehabad, Agra) and Sub-Inspector Sumit Tyagi, the statement said.
Apart from this, the EC has issued instructions to initiate disciplinary proceedings against two presiding officers, three polling officers, five head constables and 11 constables deployed at the aforementioned polling stations, the statement said.
Re-polling was held at three polling stations in the Agra teachers’ constituency of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council peacefully on Monday, state Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said.
On Saturday, the returning officer recommended a re-poll at three polling stations in Agra following allegations of “booth capturing”.
Earlier, Rinwa said the Election Commission had decided to conduct a re-poll at the three polling stations.
Voting that took place at these polling stations on October 23 was declared void under Section 58A(2)(a) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The instructions to conduct a re-poll came after the Samajwadi Party alleged irregularities and “booth capturing” during the Legislative Council elections in several districts, including Agra, on Friday and Saturday.
The counting of votes for the Legislative Council elections will take place on October 27.
(PTI News)
