Police did not allow dalits to vote in Uttar Pradesh, alleges BSP in complaint to EC

BSP has lodged a complaint with Election Commission of India alleging that Dalit voters were stopped from casting their votes by police and administration in Uttar Pradesh.

"In today's election, both the police and administration have stopped Dalit voters from reaching polling stations. It is done on the direction of higher-ups in the police department and we have complained both to Chief Election Commissioner and Election commissioner of UP, Satish Chand Mishra, national general secretary, BSP told ANI.

"We demand that immediate action should be taken by Election Commission in the matter," Mishra said.

The BSP leader alleged that Dalits and backward community members were being stopped from reaching polling booths so that they are not able to cast their votes.

The BSP has also lodged another complaint with EC citing malfunction in some electronic voting machines.

"We have registered another complaint with EC and have sent them a video clip of the EVM, in which it is seen that 'elephant' symbol is being pressed but the vote is going to BJP's 'lotus' symbol. Our people had complained against it but no action was taken," said Satish Mishra

BSP has called for "immediate intervention" of the Election Commission for conducting free and fair elections.

Votes are being polled in Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor , Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar.