Agra MLC Poll Lapses: Six Officials Face Suspension Orders
Six officials, including four policemen, have been suspended by the Election Commission of India over alleged lapses during voting in some polling stations of the Agra Divisional Teachers Constituency on October 23. The commission announced the orders on Monday.
The disciplinary action was taken on the basis of an investigation report filed by the divisional commissioner, who is the returning officer for the Agra Divisional Teachers Constituency. The report formed the basis for the suspension orders issued by the commission.
In a letter sent to the Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh, the commission stated that charge sheets will be issued to the six guilty officials. Departmental action will also be initiated against 21 other polling officers.
The decision follows a re-poll conducted on Monday at polling stations 20, 21 and 26. The re-poll was part of the biennial elections to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.
In its order, the commission said it had found with great concern that officials entrusted with supervisory responsibilities had failed to ensure effective supervision and proper control in and around polling stations. It said such negligence by supervisory officers is viewed seriously and cannot be condoned.
For polling station 21, located at Room No. 1 of the Kshetra Panchayat office in Saiyan, the suspended officials are O P Chak, sector magistrate and district khadi and village industries officer in Agra; Inspector Harishran Singh of the crime branch sector police; and Sub-Inspector Sandeep Kumar of Etmaddaula police station in Agra.
For polling station 26, the suspended officials are Vishal Rathore, sector magistrate and regional forest officer in Fatehabad; Additional Inspector Purushottam Pal of Fatehabad; and Sub-Inspector Sumit Tyagi of Ekta police station.
The commission has asked the concerned authority to issue charge sheets to the guilty officials. It has also directed that revised records be submitted for review within 10 days of the letter, before the formal orders are released.
Separate disciplinary proceedings will be carried out against other polling staff and police personnel deployed at stations 21 and 26. These include five polling staff, made up of two presiding officers and three polling officers, and 16 police personnel, including five head constables and 11 constables.
Voting for 11 MLC constituencies, comprising five graduates' and six teachers' constituencies, took place on Friday. A total of 152 candidates were in the contest across these seats.