Election Commission removes officials and orders legal action following irregularities in Pilibhit electoral rolls

LUCKNOW — The Election Commission of India has removed two election officials and ordered legal proceedings following a preliminary inquiry that confirmed extensive irregularities in the electoral rolls of the Pilibhit Sadar Assembly constituency.

The poll panel relieved the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and the Voter Registration Centre (VRC) operator of Pilibhit Sadar from all duties related to voter list preparation. According to a district election officer report, the investigation found that entering specific voter EPIC numbers online incorrectly displayed the details of other individuals.

The action follows sharp complaints from the opposition. The Samajwadi Party and Uttar Pradesh Congress alleged that voter names were being altered to deprive citizens of their voting rights, pointing to discrepancies involving 13,150 entries in the Pilibhit Sadar constituency.

Reacting to the development, Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa stated that all district election officers across the state have been instructed to thoroughly examine voter lists in every assembly constituency and submit compliance reports within two days. Rinwa added that legal action against the responsible officers will be pursued under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, alongside relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

Authorities have initiated immediate corrections to rectify the Pilibhit Sadar electoral roll, while a separate report regarding the accountability of assistant electoral registration officers has been called for.