Official suspended for pre-poll lapses in Hydergarh

By J.P. Shukla

LUCKNOW, APRIL 6. The Election Commission secretary , Mr. K.J. Rao, today reported serious lapses on the part of the district administration of Barabanki in ensuring observance of the model code of conduct in the by-election to the Hydergarh Assembly constituency of Uttar Pradesh where polling is to take place tomorrow.

Mr. Rao, who was specially deputed by the commission to visit Hydergarh following complaints that official machinery was being misused in the constituency from where the Chief Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh, was contesting as a BJP nominee, sent his report to the commission after making an intensive tour of Hydergarh last evening and today.

The police officer in-charge of the Loni Katra police station was suspended on the basis of his report while the suspension of another officer in-charge of Hydergarh police station has been recommended.

Talking to newspersons here after his return from Hydergarh, Mr. Rao said the commission had sought explanation from the Chief Secretary about the presence of 20 vehicles at a dinner party last night. The vehicles, whose registration number Mr. Rao had personally noted, included some belonging to the Government.

Mr. Rao said he found two U.P. Ministers, Mr. Rangnath Mishra, and Mr. Yashwant Singh, present at a school premises at Hydergarh this morning. They were found travelling in a vehicle without a numberplate and were immediately asked to leave the constituency and they promptly abided.

Also, public buildings had been defaced with election posters contrary to the rules laid down by the commission. On the basis of what he had observed today, he had sent a letter to the commission to place the SHO of Hydergarh under suspension, Mr. Rao said adding that the commission would go into the details of his reports and take whatever action was necessary.

However, polling would be conducted impartially tomorrow and much would depend on what happened tomorrow and results would not be announced unless the commission cleared the same. Repolling would be ordered at as many places as would be thought necessary.

Mr. Rao said the EC found that the observers appointed in the Hydergarh constituency had not been adequately firm. Otherwise, irregularities could have been noticed by them. He had met the State Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Noor Mohammed, the district magistrate and the DSP, Baranki, and detailed instructions to conduct fair polling tomorrow were given to them, he added.

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