Milkipur By Election: Moderate Voter Turnout in Ayodhya, Tight Security in Place

Polling for the Milkipur Assembly by-election in Ayodhya started at 7 AM and witnessed a moderate voter turnout in the initial hours. According to the Election Commission, by 11 AM, around 29.86% of voters had cast their votes. The election is a crucial battle between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP), especially after the recent nine-seat by-elections that saw intense competition between the two parties.

Opposition Alleges Voter Intimidation

The Samajwadi Party raised concerns about alleged voter intimidation by the administration. On Wednesday, SP leaders shared multiple posts on social media, accusing officials of scaring voters away. Akhilesh Yadav, SP's chief, took to X (formerly Twitter), demanding action against police officers allegedly influencing the voting process.

He urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately, stating that Ayodhya police officers were checking voter ID cards at polling booths, which he called a "democratic crime" meant to create fear among voters. Yadav insisted that such officials should be removed and punished to ensure free and fair elections.

Tight Security Ensures Smooth Polling

Despite the allegations, authorities maintained that the voting process remained peaceful. Ayodhya Inspector General of Police Praveen Kumar assured that security forces, including magistrates and police officers, were patrolling polling stations to prevent any disturbances. Paramilitary forces were also deployed at key locations to monitor the situation closely.

Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa reminded voters that polling would continue until 5 PM and that only those whose names appeared on the electoral list would be allowed to vote. Voters were required to carry their voter ID or an ECI-approved document to cast their ballot.