Mainpur bypoll: EC pulls up police officers for failing to transfer officials

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav is pitted against BJP's Raghuraj Singh Shakya in the by-election.

New Delhi, Dec 01: The Election Commission on Thursday pulled up SSPs of Etawah and Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh and sought explanations for them for failing to follow its transfer and posting policy ahead of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll.

The move comes a day after the Samajwadi Party (SP) urged it to look into the failure of the state police to randomise police forces ahead of the December 5 bypoll necessitated following the death of party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav is pitted against BJP's Raghuraj Singh Shakya in the by-election.

In a letter to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer (CEO), the Election Commission (EC) directed SSP, Mainpuri to immediately relieve the Sub-Inspectors namely Suresh Chand, Kadir Shah, Sudhir Kumar, Sunil Kumar, Satya Bhan and Raj Kumar Goswami falling under the said transfer and posting policy, from the police stations located in respective Assembly segments, wherein they are presently posted.

It also directed SSP, Mainpuri to submit explanation to the Commission as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against him for non-compliance of Commission's extant instructions and relevant provisions of Model Code of Conduct while carrying out transfer & posting of Police personnel.

Further SSP Etawah has to furnish his explanation as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against him for granting long leave to the four SHOs of police stations of Vaidpura, Bharthana, Jaswantnagar and Chaubiya, without prior permission of the Commission after imposition of Model Code of Conduct.

CEO UP has also been directed to ensure that force deployment relating to ongoing bye-election for 21-Mainpuri Parliamentary Constituency is done strictly under the supervision of the concerned General and Police Observer, following the laid down procedure of randomization etc. Randomisation of local police force is a cornerstone of extant instruction of the Commission to ensure fairness.

In order to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election, all DEOs of election going districts have also been directed to ensure that Commission's extant instructions, relevant provisions of Law and Model Code of Conduct are complied with in letter and spirit.