Uttar Pradesh: SP delegation alleges threat by Kannauj administration against voting

LUCKNOW: A delegation of Samajwadi Party led by MLC Udaiveer Singh and 17 members of the Kannauj district panchayat submitted a memorandum to the state election commission (SEC) on Friday. They stated that the members were being threatened by Kannauj administration and were asked to stay away from voting for the district panchayat chief to be held on Saturday.
The delegation accused DM and SP Kannauj of threatening the SP members and asking them to stay away from the election process.
“All 17 members of the Kannauj district panchayat have told the SEC about the threats from the district administration. The panchayat has a strength of 28 members of which 17 are present here. We told the SEC that district administration has set up barricades leading to the venue where votes have to be polled. They aim to screen every individual heading towards the polling centre and stop these candidates,” Singh told TOI .
The delegation urged the SEC to instruct the district administration to ensure that the 17 members present in the delegation were not stopped from casting their vote.
“The administration must ensure that all 17 members are escorted to the polling centre safely and it should be the responsibility of the DM and SP Kannauj that no one stops them,” Udaiveer said. The delegation also cited similar instances being reported from Mainpuri. He said the SEC has assured them that it will instruct the Kannauj administration that the elected candidates are not stopped.