LUCKNOW: A youth in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah was arrested on Sunday after a video of him casting multiple votes went viral on social media platforms, officials said on Sunday.
The arrested youngster has been identified as Rajan Singh, a resident of the village of Khiriya Pamaran in Etah district.
According to officials, the incident was reported in Farrukhabad parliamentary constituency, and action was taken after the video went viral on social media.
The video was also shared by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and other politicians.
Taking to his social media handle, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav shared the video on X, wherein the person was seen recording himself while allegedly casting votes for the BJP several times in a series of instances.
Farrukhabad seat went to polls on May 13.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Election Officer, Navdeep Rinwa, said that the youth has been booked under various sections and a re-polling has been recommended for the booth in Etah district.
“FIR of the incident has been registered under sections 171-F and 419 of the IPC and sections 128, 132 and 136 of RP Act 951 in Nayagaon police station in Etah district,” the UP CEO said in a post on X.
The post further said that instructions to suspend and institute disciplinary proceedings against all members of the polling party have been issued. Repoll has been recommended to the ECI at the polling station concerned.
“Strict instructions to rigorously follow the procedure in regard to the identification of the voters have been issued to all district election officers of the remaining phases in UP,” it added.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged all officials on election duty not to forget their constitutional responsibilities in the face of pressure and warned of strict action against anyone who insults the constitutional oath once the INDIA bloc forms government.
His remarks on ‘X’ came over Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s post on the social media platform in which he shared a video purportedly showing a person voting for the BJP “eight times”.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, “Seeing its defeat, the BJP wants to rob democracy by putting pressure on the government machinery to deny the mandate.”
“Otherwise, as soon as the government of the INDIA bloc is formed, such action will be taken that in future anyone will think 10 times before insulting the ‘oath of the Constitution’.”