In response to complaints of voter obstruction and alleged misconduct by police officers during Uttar Pradesh’s ongoing by-polls, the Election Commission (EC) has ordered the suspension of several personnel, including officers in the Sisamau constituency of Kanpur. The move follows a video shared by Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav, alleging unlawful ID checks and voter harassment. The EC had earlier directed district election officers and police officials to maintain impartiality and transparency in voting processes.

The Samajwadi Party has accused certain communities of being targeted and obstructed from voting. The BJP, on the other hand, has raised concerns about “fake voting,” particularly in the case of burqa-clad voters, urging stricter identity verification. The EC has instructed the suspended officers to comply fully with election protocols, ensuring smooth and fair voting.

Voting began across nine constituencies at 7 a.m., with early turnout data showing variation. Kundarki recorded the highest turnout at 28.54%, while Ghaziabad had the lowest at 12.56% by 11 a.m.