ECI Cracks Down: 6 Suspended, 21 Facing Action Over Agra Polling Chaos
The Election Commission of India suspends 6 officials and orders action against 21 others after irregularities in Agra's teachers' constituency polling.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken stringent action following reports of Agra teachers constituency polling irregularities during the elections for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council. In a decisive move on Monday, the Commission ordered the immediate suspension of six officials who were found guilty of misconduct during the polling process held on October 23.
Massive Disciplinary Sweep
The crackdown extends beyond just the suspended officials. The ECI has directed that formal disciplinary proceedings be initiated against 21 other personnel who were deployed at the problematic polling stations. This group includes:
- Two presiding officers
- Three polling officers
- Five head constables
- 11 constables
The Hotspots: Polling Stations 21 and 26
The Commission specifically identified two locations where the irregularities occurred. The officials held accountable from these stations are as follows:
Polling Station No. 21 (Kshetra Panchayat Office, Saiyan)
The officials named for action at this location include:
- OP Chak: Sector Magistrate and District Khadi and Village Industries Officer, Agra.
- Harisharan Singh: Sector Police Officer and Inspector, Crime Branch.
- Sandeep Kumar: Sub-Inspector from the Etmaddaula Police Station, Agra.
Polling Station No. 26 (Kshetra Panchayat Office, Fatehabad)
The officials identified at this station include:
- Vishal Rathore: Sector Magistrate and Regional Forest Officer, Fatehabad, Agra.
- Purushottam Pal: Sector Police Officer and Additional Inspector, Fatehabad, Agra.
- Sumit Tyagi: Sub-Inspector from the Ekta Police Station, Agra.
Re-polling Ordered
Due to the severity of the lapses, the ECI has declared the polling conducted on October 23 at three specific stations as void. This decision was made under Section 58A(2)(a) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
According to a press release from Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa, re-polling has been scheduled for Monday at the following locations:
- Polling Station No. 20: Tehsil Campus in Kheragarh.
- Polling Station No. 21: Kshetra Panchayat Office in Saiyan.
- Polling Station No. 26: Kshetra Panchayat Office in Fatehabad.
These events take place within the broader context of the 2026 biennial elections, which cover five Graduates' Constituencies and six Teachers' Constituencies for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.