SP alleges voting irregularities, booth capture in Muzaffarnagar, files complaint with EC | India News

MUZAFFARNAGAR/RAMPUR/SHAMLI: Samajwadi Party (SP) candidates and local functionaries in several western UP districts — such as Muzaffarnagar, Rampur, Moradabad and Kairana — which went for Lok Sabha polls on Friday, levelled allegations of voter intimidation, booth capture and irregularities against the ruling party and local administration. Eight LS seats from UP went to polls in the first phase.
In Muzaffarnagar, SP candidate Harendra Malik accused BJP supporters of booth capture at Kutbi Kutba village under Shahpur police station limits, and subsequently filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC).He alleged that voters were “assaulted and prevented from reaching the booths“, and urged paramilitary forces be dispatched to ensure fair polls.
Reacting to the allegations, BJP candidate, Sanjeev Balyan said, “They are losing the election and, therefore, making such wild allegations.” Local police also dismissed Malik’s allegations. SP, Muzaffarnagar (rural) Aditya Bansal said, “Officials, including police officers, were present at Kutbi Kutba. No booth capture took place and voting in Muzaffarnagar remained peaceful.”
In Rampur, SP candidate Mohibullah Nadvi alleged that “names of around 50,000 voters were missing from the voter list”. He also alleged local police turned away party supporters.
“People were not allowed to vote in areas where the minority population is high. Police were threatening them… Despite carrying two ID proofs, several women were told their photographs don’t match. I’ll raise the matter with the EC,” he added.
Voter turnout in Rampur was 55.6% till 6pm. Rampur Sadar, with a sizeable minority population and considered SP leader Azam Khan’s stronghold, was the lowest at 44.3%.
Things in Moradabad were no different, SP functionaries claimed. The party’s candidate, Ruchi Vira, told

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: “Heavy security force was deployed outside polling booths in minority-concentrated areas to infuse fear. IDs of some of the young voters were snatched by cops. I’ve already sent a complaint to the EC and will raise the matter on other platforms too.”
In Kairana, SP candidate Iqra Hasan took to social media to raise purported anomalies. Hasan accused Shamli district administration of “deliberately slowing down the voting process in many booths in Kairana, Shamli, Thana Bhawan and Gangoh assembly segments”. Her party also appealed to the EC to “intervene”.
Hasan further alleged that several EVM machines remained non-functional since morning, and in some places, women voters, particularly those wearing ‘burqa’, were “harassed”.
Shamli district poll officer, Ravindra Singh, said, “Wherever we received complaints related to EVM machines, concerned officials were dispatched to resolve the matter. All necessary steps were taken to ensure free and fair polling as per the EC’s guidelines.”