Rahul warns of strict action after UP man votes for BJP '8 times'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday 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".

Late in the night, responding to the posts of the Congress and Samajwadi Party, Uttar Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said in post on 'X' that an FIR has been registered in the matter at the Nayagaon police station in Etah district.

He also said that one person has been arrested and instructions given to suspend an institute disciplinary proceedings against all members of the polling party.

"Repolling has been recommended to the ECI in the polling station," he said

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."

The Congress expects all officials on election duty not to forget their constitutional responsibilities in the face of pressure from power, he said. "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'."

Posting the video on X from his official account, Yadav said, "If the Election Commission feels that this is wrong then it must take some action. Otherwise, the BJP's booth committee is actually a loot committee."