Akhilesh Yadav to EC: Add caste column, SIR can be preliminary caste census

“As such a big exercise is (already) taking place, the Election Commission should add one more column for caste in the SIR form, which would be a kind of preliminary caste census as part of the same exercise,” he said.

To mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Akhilesh Yadav along with other party members took a pledge, at his party office in Lucknow, to form a government of “Samajik Nyaya (social justice)” in Uttar Pradesh in 2027.

“Akhilesh Yadav ji ke netritva mein 2027 mein Bharatiya Janata Party ko hatakar, desh ko bachane ke liye, Samajik Nyaya wali sarkar lane ke liye apna yogdan denge (Under Akhilesh Yadav’s leadership, we will contribute in removing the BJP in 2027, to save the country and to bring a government with social justice),” the SP leaders took the pledge in Akhilesh Yadav’s presence.

After the pledge, the SP chief asserted that when his government comes to power, they would “establish a modern university in the name of Sardar Patel and also undertake steps to honor him and his thoughts”.

Later, while informing that he held discussions with multiple individuals and groups in Lucknow, Akhilesh said “When SIR is taking place in Uttar Pradesh… such a big exercise is taking place for voters… so, we are demanding that one more column should be added in that for caste-based counting. We have been demanding it for a long time and just one column has to be increased.”

“While caste based census can take place later on, this important data can be collected as a primary caste counting,” he said.

The SP chief added, “We demand that a column should be included in the SIR, which can do caste counting as well. This would help in formation of future schemes and policies of the government for the deprived and help strengthen those who are socially and economically weak. Further, it would make the establishment of a government of social justice easy.”

Akhilesh also alleged that not a single Booth Level Officer (BLO) assigned for SIR belongs to PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak) while adding that a similar exercise was done for appointment of selected presiding officers, who conducted by-election in Ayodhya after the BJP lost Lok Sabha seat in 2024.