Uttar Pradesh government removed Yadav, Muslim officers from bypoll seats, alleges Samajwadi Party

The memorandum said that the appointment of BLOs was being done on the basis of caste and religion. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Samajwadi Party on Wednesday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India, alleging that the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh was removing Muslim and Yadav police and civil administration officials as well as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) belonging to these communities from districts where Assembly byelections are to be held.

Byelections are scheduled for later this year in 10 Assembly seats where MLAs resigned after being elected to the Lok Sabha in June.

A Samajwadi Party delegation, comprising senior Rajya Sabha MPs Ramgopal Yadav and Javed Ali Khan, met the commission and handed over a memorandum detailing their allegations against the Uttar Pradesh government.

“In Uttar Pradesh, byelections are going to take place and in these Assembly constituencies and districts, the State government has removed most of the police and civil administration officials who belong to the Yadav and Muslim communities because these communities are known to be our supporters. Similar is the case of BLOs who help in preparing the electoral rolls,” Mr. Yadav told the media after the meeting.

Claiming that there was not a single Muslim or Yadav in the final list of BLOs, he said the delegation shared the entire list of officers assigned for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections as well as the draft and final lists for the byelections.

“There is only one Muslim in the list as it appeared that the government could not ascertain his religion from his name,” he claimed.

The memorandum submitted to the commission said that the ruling party was indulging in efforts to vitiate free and fair processes in the byelections. “In districts and seats where by-polls are scheduled, there will be no Muslim or Yadav officials on election duty. This has been reported in print and electronic media,” it said.

It said that the appointment of BLOs was being done on the basis of caste and religion. “Almost all Muslim and Yadav BLOs who were appointed earlier have been removed from the list and in their place, officers from the communities that support the ruling party have been appointed,” it claimed.

It asked the EC to ensure that all political parties and candidates get equal opportunities in the poll process.

The EC on its part has promised to look into their complaint.

Besides Mr. Yadav, the memorandum has been signed by Mr. Khan and SP Lok Sabha MP Dharmendra Yadav.