EC seeks report from UP CEO on SP allegation of bias in posting of booth-level officers

New Delhi: Taking cognisance of complaints from the Samajwadi Party, the Election Commission has sought a detailed report from the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer over allegations of bias in posting of officials belonging to certain communities ahead of bypolls in the state, sources said on Friday.

A Samajwadi Party delegation had met the Commission on Thursday and had alleged bias and politicisation of postings of booth-level officers (BLOs) in Kundarki assembly seat of Moradabad district and Sisamau constituency of Kanpur district.

The party had alleged that 12 booth-level officers and supervisors from two communities were recently replaced.

In Uttar Pradesh, the bypolls are due in 10 constituencies.

Nine of the 10 assembly seats fell vacant as the sitting MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha in the recently-concluded parliamentary polls, while the Sisamau seat fell vacant following the conviction of SP MLA Irfan Solanki in a criminal case. He now stands disqualified.