Former Indian cricket team captain and Congress MP Mohammad Azharuddin and union Minister for Road Transport and Highways R.P.N. Singh have been charged with violating the election code of conduct ahead of by-polls in Uttar Pradesh, police said Wednesday.

Singh and Azharuddin -- who is the Congress MP from Moradabad -- addressed public meetings in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district Tuesday, some 300 km from Lucknow, without taking the mandatory permission from the district administration, police said.