The Election Commission of India has suspended two EROs in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, for electoral roll irregularities and ordered legal action against officials, while mandating a state-wide review of voter registration data.

ECI Acts Against Pilibhit Electoral Officials

New Delhi [India], November 1 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the suspension of two Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) of the 127-Pilibhit Assembly Constituency in Uttar Pradesh over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll and asked the state authorities to add Section 198 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, to the FIR already registered against them and a computer operator.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Uttar Pradesh, the Commission directed that the two officers, Mayank Goswami and Hemant Chaudhary, be placed under suspension with immediate effect. It also instructed that their chargesheets be submitted to the Commission for further vetting. The Commission further directed that the officers should not be reinstated without its prior approval and that all consequential action be taken in accordance with its instructions dated May 31, 2023.

Investigations and Legal Directives

The directions follow an examination of a report forwarded by the Uttar Pradesh CEO on October 24, in connection with alleged irregularities in the electoral roll of the Pilibhit Assembly constituency. The Commission's letter referred to its earlier communication dated October 23, 2026. The ECI also directed the state authorities to add Section 198 of the BNS to the existing FIR against the two EROs and Anil Kumar, a VRC computer operator. It asked that the cases before the concerned court be pursued rigorously to take the matter to its logical conclusion.

Further Accountability Measures

The Commission has also sought a report from the District Election Officer (DEO), Pilibhit, on the scrutiny of electoral rolls in all four Assembly constituencies of the district. The report, along with specific comments from the CEO, has been sought within a week of the issuance of the letter. Additionally, the CEO has been asked to furnish, within three days, an action-taken report against the VRC operator, along with details of the role of five Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) of the 127-Pilibhit Assembly constituency.

In a wider directive, the Commission has asked all District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers in Uttar Pradesh to thoroughly re-examine electoral rolls under their jurisdiction. The exercise will particularly focus on data entry relating to additions, deletions and modifications made through Forms 6, 7 and 8. The directions seek accountability for the alleged irregularities in the Pilibhit electoral roll and call for a wider review of voter registration records across Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)

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