MATHURA: An FIR has been filed against an SP-RLD candidate here for violating the model code of conduct and COVID-19 protocols, officials said on Thursday.
"SP-RLD candidate Babita Devi has violated the model code of elections and Covid-19 by holding a meeting," additional district magistrate (administration) Vijay Shankar Dubey said.
The public meeting was held in Raya town on Wednesday and about 200 people were present.
COVID-19 guidelines were also not adhered to, he said.
Following the announcement of the Assembly poll dates in five states, the model code of conduct came into immediate effect on January 8.
According to officials, Devi is the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal candidate from Baldeo reserve constituency.
A BJP leader and former 'block pramukh' was on Thursday booked along with his nearly 300 unnamed supporters on charges of holding a poll campaign meeting in violation of the model code of conduct and ignoring Covid protocol, police said.
Panchayati Raj's former block chief Sugreev Singh and his 250 to 300 unnamed supporters have been booked for holding a meeting at the leader's milk plant in violation of the model code and also breaching the Covid guidelines, Pinahat police station's SHO Kuldeep Singh said.
The FIR against them has been lodged under sections 188 (disobedience of duly promulgated government orders), 269 (spreading infection) and 270 (punishment for spreading infection with malafide intent) of the Indian Penal Code besides other relevant sections of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, the Pinahat SHO said.
Sugreev Singh, however, claimed he was unaware of the FIR lodged against him and his supporters.