Samajwadi Party accuses police of mistreating Muslim voters in a UP constituency

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has raised serious concerns over the treatment of Muslim voters at a polling booth in the Kairana constituency of Uttar Pradesh.

Alleging mistreatment by the police, the party has shared a video and called upon the Election Commission to intervene and ensure fair voting practices.

The incident reportedly took place at booth number 447 in Shamli, which falls under the Kairana constituency. Kairana is among the eight constituencies in Uttar Pradesh participating in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

In a statement released on X, the SP accused the police of obstructing Muslim voters from exercising their voting rights. The party specifically highlighted the situation at Kairana Nagar Islamiya Inter College, where voting was proceeding at a slow pace. The SP claimed that the administration deliberately delayed the voting process.

A video shared by the SP shows burqa-clad Muslim women arriving at the Kairana Nagar Islamiya Inter College to cast their votes. The footage also captures women police personnel checking the identities of these women. In some instances, officers are seen lifting the burqa to conduct identity checks.

The SP's allegations come as voting for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh commenced at 7 am across eight constituencies. These constituencies include Saharanpur, Kamana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit.

Alongside these allegations, reports of malfunctioning Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have also surfaced from several areas.