UP bypolls: SP, BJP trade charges over ID check of burqa-clad women

Lucknow: A controversy erupted during the polling in nine assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday after the Samajwadi Party (SP) accused the state police of lifting the ‘burqa’ (veil) of Muslim women to check their identity.

The BJP on the other hand alleged that ‘’burqa clad’’ women were casting votes in some assembly constituencies without being checked and urged the Election Commission (EC) to take cognizance of the same.

Speaking to reporters here, SP president Akhilesh Yadav also alleged that his party supporters were being prevented by the administration from exercising their franchise at many places.

Several videos emerged on social media purportedly showing the police officials checking the identity of Muslim women by lifting their veils. In one of the videos, an SP candidate from Mirapur was seen engaged in a heated argument with the cops over alleged lifting of veils of Muslim women before being allowed to proceed for voting.

Akhilesh asked his supporters to take photographs of the officials, who prevented them from voting. 

"If the EC exists, it should take note of these incidents and act forthwith," he said in a post on social media. Soon after the Kanpur police responded saying that concerned police officials, who were found to be checking the IDs, had been suspended.

Minor incidents of violence were reported from some places during the polling. In Mirapur constituency, an incident of stone pelting was reported in Kithoda.

Polling was held in nine assembly seats in UP on Wednesday.