The Election Commission of India (ECI) has removed cricketer Rinku Singh as the brand ambassador for its voter awareness campaign after his engagement to Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Priya Saroj. The commission said that since Singh is now personally linked to a political figure, his continued role could be seen as politically biased, which might affect the impartial and neutral tone of the campaign.
The ECI has asked all districts to take down any campaign materials — including posters, banners, videos, and digital content — that feature Rinku Singh. A formal notice has also been sent to district officials across Uttar Pradesh to ensure that these materials are removed.
Rinku Singh got engaged to Priya Saroj, the SP MP from Machhlishahr in Jaunpur, on June 8. Their engagement was a high-profile event, attended by over 20 Members of Parliament, including SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Shivpal Yadav, Jaya Bachchan, and Ramgopal Yadav.
The Election Commission explained that it respects Rinku Singh’s achievements as a sportsperson but has to prioritize neutrality in its public outreach. “His personal ties can now be viewed as politically aligned, and they could compromise the non-partisan nature of our outreach efforts,” the ECI said in its statement.
So far, neither Rinku Singh nor Priya Saroj has commented publicly on the matter. Meanwhile, the decision has sparked debate online and in political circles. Some people called the move “over-cautious,” while others said it was a necessary step to ensure the fairness of election-related campaigns.
A few fans of Rinku Singh expressed disappointment, saying the cricketer’s popularity could have been used better rather than dropping him altogether. However, officials pointed out that this is not the first time such a decision has been made, and similar actions have been taken in the past when associations with public figures were seen as a threat to the campaign’s impartiality.
