UP bypolls: SP urges EC to direct state police not to lift veil of burqa-clad women to check IDs at polling booths

Lucknow: On the eve of bypolls in nine assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has asked the Election Commission (EC) to direct the state police not to "lift" the 'burqa' (veils) of the Muslim women and check their IDs at the polling centres.

In a letter to the EC, the SP alleged that the police could try to "intimidate" the voters of a particular community on the polling day on the pretext of checking their IDs.

''During the recent Lok Sabha polls, the police had forced the Muslim women to lift their veils and check their Ids on the pretext of checking on the polling days in the state,'' the SP said in its six page letter to the EC.

''Many supporters of the SP, especially Muslim women, returned from the polling centres without exercising their franchise after being intimidated by the police personnel, who lifted their veils and checked their IDs,'' the letter said.

It demanded that the EC issued written instructions to the state police and other officials connected with the polling not to check the Ids of the voters on the day of polling. ''The polling officer has the authority to check the IDs of the voters,'' the letter added.

SP leaders on Tuesday accused the BJP government of 'misusing' the official machinery in the run up to the by-polls and alleged that the officials and police personnel were 'intimidating' the party supporters. 

SP Lok Sabha member from Ambedkar Nagar Lalji Verma on Tuesday returned the gunners provided by the state government in protest against what he claimed ''efforts to terrorise'' the electorate of Katehri assembly constituency where bypolls would be held on Wednesday.

Bypolls on nine assembly seats would be held on Wednesday.