Accountability Demanded in Electoral Roll Oversight

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office has initiated strict disciplinary proceedings and issued formal notices to five election officials following a serious administrative oversight in the Azamgarh district. The action comes in the wake of allegations raised by the Samajwadi Party regarding duplicate entries in the local voter registry.

According to official statements, the opposition party submitted a formal complaint during an October 15 press conference, claiming that a single voter's identity, registered under the name Vikas Yadav, appeared ten times within the electoral roll of the 347-Azamgarh Assembly constituency.

Official Investigation Findings

Acting swiftly on the grievance, the CEO's office mandated a comprehensive inquiry by the District Election Officer (DEO) of Azamgarh.

The subsequent investigation report uncovered a total of 13 entries bearing the name Vikas Yadav in Hindi across the constituency's voter database. Out of these, authorities confirmed that two entries had already been systematically purged in accordance with standard electoral protocols.

Further verification revealed that another individual sharing the same name and father's identity rightfully belonged to the Chauri-Chaura Assembly constituency in the Gorakhpur district, completely distinct from the Azamgarh entries.

The remaining 11 entries in Azamgarh were traced back to distinct, individual residents living within their respective villages. Barring the genuine voter, Form 8 applications—meant for correcting particulars—had been submitted for the other 10 individuals to rectify discrepancies in their listed details.

Penalties and Corrective Measures

Finding clear evidence of procedural laxity, the CEO's office directed that formal notices be served to five specific personnel before executing actions under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. The individuals facing scrutiny include:

* A computer assistant stationed at the registration center * The concerned Booth Level Officer (BLO) * The then Election Registration Officer (ERO) * Two Assistant Election Registration Officers (AEROs)

Furthermore, the state electoral authority has ordered the issuance of formal charge sheets to initiate departmental proceedings against the erstwhile ERO and the two Assistant EROs. Officials cited gross negligence in discharging official duties and inadequate supervision during the preparation and finalization of the electoral rolls as grounds for the disciplinary action.

In an effort to ensure systemic integrity, the District Election Officer of Azamgarh has been instructed to execute a thorough, exhaustive audit of voter lists across all Assembly segments within the district, with a final compliance report mandated within a week.