LUCKNOW: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has removed cricketer Rinku Singh from the position of brand ambassador for its voter awareness campaign. The action comes after Singh's engagement to Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Priya Saroj. The Election Commission stated that the association could now be seen as politically affiliated, potentially compromising the impartiality of the awareness drive.
Following this decision, the ECI has ordered all districts to remove promotional materials -- posters, banners, videos, and digital content -- bearing Rinku’s name or image. A formal communication has also been sent to district administrations across Uttar Pradesh to ensure compliance.
It may be recalled that the cricketer and Priya Saroj, the SP MP from Machhlishahr (Jaunpur), got engaged on June 8.
The high-profile ceremony was attended by over 20 Members of Parliament, including SP chief and former CM Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Shivpal Yadav, Jaya Bachchan, and Ramgopal Yadav.
The Election Commission underlined that maintaining neutrality and objectivity in all public campaigns was a top priority. While acknowledging Rinku Singh’s stature as a respected athlete and sportsperson, the ECI said that his engagement to an active politician raised legitimate concerns. “His personal ties can now be viewed as politically aligned, and they could compromise the non-partisan nature of our outreach efforts,” the ECI stated.
Neither Rinku Singh nor Priya Saroj have issued a response to the Election Commission’s decision so far. Meanwhile, political circles have been abuzz with discussions on the matter, with many interpreting it as a firm stance taken by the commission ahead of the upcoming elections.
The move has triggered a mixed response on social media. While some users termed the decision as ‘over-cautious’, others believe that removing Rinku Singh was necessary to preserve the neutrality of the campaign.
A section of fans expressed disappointment, saying Rinku’s mass appeal should have been leveraged more responsibly rather than being entirely withdrawn.
In previous elections also, the commission made similar decisions wherever associations with public figures were seen to potentially impact the fairness of campaigns.