After disqualification from Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Abdullah Azam Khan's name struck off electoral rolls of Rampur

The decision by the electoral registration officer of Rampur Assembly constituency was taken after BJP MLA from Rampur Akash Saxena sought the removal of Abdullah Azam Khan's name from the voters' list, a statement said.

Abdullah Azam Khan. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

“Days after his disqualification from the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Samajpwadi Party (SP) leader Abdullah Azam Khan’s name was struck off the electoral rolls of Rampur Assembly constituency,” an election official said.

Abdullah Azam Khan was disqualified as a member of the Assembly on Wednesday after a court sentenced him to two-year imprisonment in a 15-year-old case.

The decision by the electoral registration officer (ERO) of Rampur Assembly constituency was taken after BJP MLA from Rampur Akash Saxena sought the removal of Abdullah Azam Khan's name from the voters' list, a statement said on February 17.

In his order, ERO Nirankar Singh said the application submitted by Mr. Saxena says the membership of Abdullah Azam Khan has ceased to exist under the Representation of the People Act and, a plea was made to remove his name from the voters' list.

“As per the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, the name of any person who becomes so disqualified after registration shall forthwith be struck off the electoral roll in which it is included.”

"This provision makes it clear that after being disqualified, Abdullah Azam Khan's name be immediately struck off the voters' list," the order said.

Abdullah Azam Khan, the son of senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, represented Suar in Rampur district in the Assembly.

"Abdullah Azam Khan has been disqualified following the Moradabad court order sentencing him to two years (in jail) in a 15-year-old case. His seat has been declared vacant from February 13," a senior official of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly had said.

Abdullah Azam Khan, along with his father, was sentenced under Section 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) over a dharna on a State Highway on January 29, 2008 as their cavalcade was stopped by police for checking in the wake of an attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur on December 31, 2007.

He was earlier disqualified in 2020 after the Allahabad High Court set aside his election to the Assembly. His previous disqualification was effective from December 16, 2019.