EC orders raids against fake ration cards before PhaseIII polls

Lucknow, Apr 17 (UNI) The Election Commission today ordered massive raids in Uttar Pradesh to detect fake ration cards in circulation on the apprehension of its use as photo identification in the polling.

State chief electoral officer(CEO) Anuj Kumar Bishnoi said EC has asked all the districts to conduct massive raids to detect fake ration cards or any other photo identity cards to be used for the polling purpose.

'' EC has specific input of blank ration cards having the signature of the official in some places,'' he said without disclosing the areas from where the commission has received the reports.

The EC has also directed the authorities to lodge criminal cases against such people who possess such cards.

During the second phase of polling in 58 assembly seats on April 13, FIR was registered against two people in Meerut for possessing 91 Election Photo Identity Cards(EPICs).

Ration card is among the 15 alternatives sanctioned by the EC in place of the EPIC to be used for photo identification during voting.

The third phase of polling will be held tomorrow in 57 seats.

UNI