Muzaffarnagar court orders disposal of poll code violation cases

The district magistrate has ordered early disposal of all pending cases pertaining to breach of model code of conduct during 2009 general elections and 2012 state assembly polls in district court here following the direction of Uttar Pradesh Election Commission.

The District Magistrate, who is also the district election officer of Muzaffarnagar, has directed prosecution to take steps for speedy disposal of all such cases that are pending in the district court, official sources said.

The direction from state EC has come in the wake of upcoming Lok Sabha elections, they said.

Meanwhile, Chief Judicial Magistrate Narender Kumar has also ordered all magistrates to expedite the disposal of such cases in their courts.

The direction was issued after senior prosecution officer AK Vishnoi approached the court and requested for the same.

According to Vishnoi, more than 33 cases of violation of model code of conduct are pending in the district court against at least 65 leaders including UP minister Chitranjan Swaroop, BSP MP Kadir Rana, Former UP Congress president Rita Bahuguna and Congress MP Mohammad Azharuddin among others.

Police has filed final report in some cases but court has not yet accepted police report against the accused, he said.

These cases were registered on the direction of EC during general elections in 2009 and UP assembly polls in 2012 in the district.