Election Commission orders FIRs against 3 candidates in Uttar Pradesh, 1 in Manipur

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission today ordered registering FIRs against three candidates in Uttar Pradesh and one in Manipur after a TV sting purportedly showed them indulging in electoral malpractices.

Taking cognisance of the sting by a private TV news channel, the Commission has directed poll authorities in the two states to issue showcause notices to the candidates and lodge FIRs under various sections of the IPC dealing with electoral bribery and Representation of the People Act.

The candidates identified by the Commission through the sting are: BSP's Ateeq Ahmad Saifi contesting from Moradabad, SP's Atul Garg from Agra North and Peace Party's Rakesh Balmeeki from Agra Cantt.

Woba Joram from the Mao seat in Manipur is the other candidate against whom action has been ordered.