Akhilesh alleges irregularities in SIR exercise in UP, questions EC's preparedness

Lucknow, Nov 10 (PTI) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday alleged large-scale irregularities in the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, as he accused officials of acting under political pressure and questioned the poll panel's preparedness in conducting the exercise.

Speaking at a press conference at the party headquarters here, he claimed that complaints about faulty voter lists were pouring in from several districts.

"In Ayodhya, our party officials asked for the 2003 voter list, but the copy provided is completely blank. If such documents are given to booth-level officers, how will they verify names or conduct the revision properly?" he posed.

Yadav said the problem pointed to "systemic lapses" in the Election Commission's readiness. "If this is the condition in one district, imagine how many such issues must be there across Uttar Pradesh. Some pages are so unclear that no names are readable. I believe the Election Commission is not fully prepared for this process," he remarked.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said his party would formally write to the poll panel, demanding legible copies of the voter list.

"We will request in writing that at least such voter lists be provided where names can be read clearly. Also, our booth-level agents (BLAs) should be allowed to work alongside booth-level officers (BLOs) during this process," he said.

Alleging bias in the handling of voter registrations in the teachers' and graduates' constituencies, Yadav claimed, "Officials were acting like BJP workers". He claimed that an officer, who conducted elections in Ayodhya, "was receiving direct instructions from the Chief Minister's Office".

"Local leaders and officers in Ayodhya told me that officials from backward, Dalit, and minority communities have no say in the process. That officer was promised that if he ensured the SP's defeat, the corruption inquiries against him would be dropped," Yadav alleged, adding that the High Court has now given a judgment in which "that officer has been trapped".

He further claimed that across the state, not a single officer from backward, Dalit, or minority backgrounds has been appointed as an assistant returning officer in the ongoing electoral roll clean-up exercise.

"The BJP is managing everything at every level. The officer who conducted that election is now facing two inquiries, but was earlier assured a promotion for helping the ruling party. This shows the extent of manipulation," Yadav claimed.

He alleged the BJP had already begun "dishonest practices" long before the 2027 Assembly elections. "If the next election is on January 11, 2027, then 427 days ahead of that, the BJP has started deceit. Our organisation and the media now carry a great responsibility to protect democracy and the Constitution. When your vote itself goes missing, what will you say then?" he asked.

When asked what the SP was doing to address these issues, Yadav said, "We are catching the thieves and exposing them before the public. In Bihar, where elections are underway, this BJP-led alliance will be defeated and will expose itself completely." PTI KIS NSD NSD