As nine Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh voted in bypolls today, the BJP urged the Election Commission to properly check the identity of voters clad in burqa.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh, BJP’s Akhilesh Kumar Awasthi said there have past cases of veiled women trying to cast votes multiple times. “In fact, some men have worn burqa and tried to vote. On many occasions, they have been stopped by poll officials. if the identity of burqa-clad women is not checked, fake voting will take place. Only proper checking will ensure fair and transparent voting,” the BJP leader wrote in the letter.

He added that adequate number of women cops must be deployed at polling stations to ensure proper checking of burqa-clad women.

The Opposition Samajwadi Party, meanwhile, flagged cases of cops checking voter ID cards. Party chief and Lok Sabha MP Akhilesh Yadav shared a video of two cops asking for voters’ identity cards and sought the Election Commission’s intervention.

“If the Election Commission exists, it must come alive and ensure that cops do not check IDs, roads are not shut, IDs are not seized, voters are not threatened, pace of voting is not slowed down, time is not wasted and the administration does not become a representative of the ruling party,” he said.

Soon after, Kanpur police responded to the post, saying that the officers concerned have been suspended. State police comes under the control of the Election Commission during polls.  

Mr Yadav also said anyone who went home without voting after being stopped by cops must go back and cast his/her vote. “Now no irregularity will happen. If someone stops you, inform poll officials or political party members there. “Go fearlessly and make sure you vote.”

Nine Assembly seats of Uttar Pradesh — Katehari, Karhal, Mirapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sisamau, Khair, Phulpur and Kundarki — are voting in the bypolls today. These seats were vacated after the sitting MLAs, including Akhilesh Yadav, were elected to Lok Sabha.

A 26-year-old teacher was murdered on the school campus in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur allegedly after she turned down the suspect’s marriage proposal. Ramani was attacked by Madhan, 30, at the Mallipattanam Government School this morning. She was rushed to a hospital with deep cuts on her neck, but she died on the way.

The police have arrested Madhan and are interrogating him, a senior officer told NDTV. “It was a personal motive,” he said.

The families of Ramani and Madhan had met recently to discuss their marriage, but she had turned down the proposal, inquiries have revealed. A dejected Madhan then went to the school and allegedly attacked her with a sharp weapon.

School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamizhi has condemned the incident and ordered immediate counselling of the students. The minister, who is on his way to Thanjavur, has also assured strict action against the suspect.

“We strongly condemn the attack on Ramani, a teacher who worked in Mallipattanam Government School, Thanjavur District. Violence against teachers cannot be tolerated. Strict legal action will be taken against the assailant. We express our deepest condolences to the bereaved family, students, and teachers,” he said in an online post.

The Indian cricket team will soon face Australia in a five-Test series. The team’s head coach Gautam Gambhir is under pressure after a poor showing against New Zealand. India lost the Test series 3-0 at home. Gambhir is looking at young players to rebuild the team. He will likely give some new players a chance in Australia.