BJP complains of `fake photo ID cards'

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has complained to the Election Commission (EC) that fake photo identity cards, meant to be used by voters, had been produced on a mass scale through "private outsourcing" in Uttar Pradesh. In a letter it has also demanded more security for the party's senior leaders during their election campaign.

The party has drawn the EC's attention to a news channel report that hundreds of fake identity cards were being produced in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Etawah and adjoining areas where polling is scheduled for April 7. The BJP has requested urgent action on this, and, if necessary, postponement of elections in the affected constituencies.

Noting that there have been intelligence reports about threats to the lives of some senior BJP leaders, the party has asked the Commission "to instruct the Uttar Pradesh State Government and security agencies to provide adequate security cover" to L.K. Advani, Rajnath Singh, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh, Narendra Modi, Venkaiah Naidu and a host of other leaders.