LUCKNOW, 26 April 2007 — The Election Commission (EC) ordered the transfer of the collector and district magistrate of Maharganj and the senior superintendents of police of Pratapgarh and Balia in a bid to ensure free and fair elections in Uttar Pradesh.
The EC said it had taken action against the officials following complaints, which were found to be correct.
Complying with the EC order the state government transferred B.N. Dixit, the collector and district magistrate of Maharganj to the state secretariat, while the senior superintendents of police of Pratapgarh and Balia were transferred to Lucknow.
Three phases of the seven-phase elections in the state are yet to be held and the EC has taken stringent steps to ensure that polls are free and transparent. It has warned officials that any bid to manipulate elections would result in their dismissal or transfer.
The steps taken by the EC and the deployment of security forces have yielded tangible results as no incident of violence has been reported from anywhere so far.
According to indications the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) is likely to face a major defeat in the polls.
Maulana Gulzar Qasmi, the Uttar Pradesh president of the All India Milli Council, said there would be a decline in the number of Muslim legislators in the UP Assembly.
He attributed the expected decline to the division of votes.
“Muslim votes in the first four phases were divided among secular parties, and this trend would continue in the remaining elections,” the Milli Council leader said.
