Lucknow, Oct 24 (IANS) The office of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Saturday ordered the immediate removal of a computer assistant and five Booth Level Officers (BLOs) from all electoral roll-related duties and initiated proceedings against senior officials following an investigation into allegations of multiple entries of the name “Vikas Yadav” in the electoral roll of Azamgarh Assembly constituency number 347.
The Samajwadi Party had raised the issue at a press conference on October 15, claiming that the name of one individual, Vikas Yadav, appeared 10 times in the Azamgarh Assembly constituency’s voter list.
Taking cognisance of the allegation, the CEO’s office obtained a detailed investigation report from the Azamgarh District Election Officer Ravindra Kumar.
According to the report, the name “Vikas Yadav” (in Hindi) appeared 13 times in the electoral roll of Azamgarh Assembly constituency number 347.
Of these, the process for deletion of two entries had already been completed as per rules.
The remaining 11 entries belong to 11 different individuals from Azamgarh district who currently reside in their respective villages.
Except for the genuine Vikas Yadav, Form-8 applications have been filled for the other 10 persons to correct their names and personal details.
The probe also clarified that a voter with the same name and parentage registered in Chauri-Chaura Assembly constituency of Gorakhpur district is a separate individual and is not linked to the Azamgarh entries.
Acting on the findings, the Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa has directed that the computer assistant posted at the “Voter Registration Centre” and the five Booth Level Officers found responsible be immediately removed from all work related to the electoral roll.
Notices have been served to them regarding termination of their services.
Notices have also been issued to the computer assistant, the five BLOs, the then-Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), and two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) prior to initiating action under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Departmental proceedings have also been ordered against the then ERO and the two AEROs by serving them charge sheets for negligence in the discharge of official duties and lack of proper supervision during the preparation of the electoral roll.
In addition, the Azamgarh District Election Officer has been instructed to conduct a thorough examination of the electoral rolls of all Assembly constituencies in the district on this specific issue and submit a detailed report within one week.
The Election Commission has adopted zero-tolerance approach towards irregularities in the preparation and maintenance of electoral rolls.
–IANS
sktr/khz
