EC hiding behind DMs; lekhpals given free rein: Akhilesh

He also raised the issue of shortage of fertilizers in Uttar Pradesh and alleged that the BJP government has failed to meet the promises it made to the farmers

Lucknow | Updated: August 25, 2025 04:51 AM IST

Akhilesh alleged, "Orders are going down to the lowest officials because this government has no truth to show" (File Photo)

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday accused the Election Commission (EC) of hiding behind district magistrates to cover up alleged vote theft by the BJP. He added that constitutional institutions are being systematically weakened by the ruling party.

Speaking to reporters here, Yadav alleged that district magistrates were hiding behind chief electoral officers, who in turn were hiding behind the police, while lower level officers, or lekhpals, were being given “free rein to play the government’s game”. “Orders are going down to the lowest officials because this government has no truth to show,” Yadav said.

He added that even after affidavits showing irregularities in voter rolls were produced, only 14 out of 18,000 complaints were investigated. “If someone is declared dead, there has to be a death certificate. We will hold a separate press conference on this issue of voter fraud — the public now knows that the BJP steals votes and commits dacoity in elections.” Yadav also accused the BJP of crippling independent bodies for political gain.

“Those sitting in constitutional positions are working according to the government’s agenda. If anyone is weakening India’s institutions, it is the BJP. The weaker the institutions become, the greater the loss to people’s rights,” he said.

In a post on X, the former CM said the “scam trio” of the BJP, Election Commission and government officials have colluded to “loot” votes and has destroyed the present and future of the country.

When asked about participating in “Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing yatra” in Bihar, Akhilesh said he would become a part of it and the schedule would be released but later added that it would be yatra of INDIA bloc and “not of Rahul Gandhi” alone.

He also raised the issue of shortage of fertilizers in Uttar Pradesh and alleged that the BJP government has failed to meet the promises it made to the farmers.

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“Farmers are dying while standing in queues for fertiliser, but the government claims everything is available. In Bijnor, leopards are killing farmers and children. Lives are being lost in villages while the government looks away,” he said.

He also hit out at the state government over its handling of education. “They lied in the Assembly about not closing schools. Not a single merged school has reopened. They are now planning action even against those (Samajwadi Party workers) who ran PDA pathshalas (community schools),” he said.

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