Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Wednesday said the differences and objections raised by election officials during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise had raised questions not only over the functioning of the Election Commission (EC) but also over recent electoral outcomes and governments formed during this period.
His remarks came after The Indian Express reported that two of the Election Commission of India’s three members had objected, on record, at least 14 times in 10 months to decisions taken without their knowledge.
Referring to this report, he said, “Election Commission expose ho gaya hai. Humne ise Uttar Pradesh mein bahut kareeb se dekha hai (The Election Commission has been exposed. We have seen it very closely in Uttar Pradesh).”
Yadav questioned whether the poll panel could still be considered a fair and impartial institution: “Now that it has come to light that, so many times over these months, Election Commission officials did not accept the decisions of the Election Commission, you can imagine how fair and impartial the Election Commission would have been.”
Yadav then questioned whether the functioning of the constitutional body had implications for governments formed through elections in recent years. “Who is playing with a constitutional body in order to remain in power? This means that the governments formed during this period are unconstitutional governments. They have torn democracy to shreds,” he claimed.
The SP chief further linked the issue to his earlier allegations about the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
“I had said this in 2022 — that Election Commission officials deliberately identified and removed Samajwadi Party votes. We submitted information through a large number of affidavits, but no action was taken against even a single official,” he claimed.
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Yadav also alleged irregularities during subsequent bypolls, claiming that officials had been identified and that “bade paimane par beimani (widespread cheating)” took place.
Referring to the ongoing revision exercise, he said the SP had received information from different places about voters being removed through allegedly irregular procedures.
“We were informed in Lucknow that forms were being rejected with the signature of a single person. In Sultanpur, SP votes were allegedly being deleted through a single person,” he alleged.
Yadav further alleged that while elections in West Bengal had been influenced through the use of force, in Uttar Pradesh, the administration was used to influence the electoral process.
Maulshree Seth is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, based in Lucknow. With over 15 years of experience in mainstream journalism, she has built a formidable reputation for her on-ground reporting across Uttar Pradesh. Her expertise spans a wide array of critical beats, including state politics, governance, the judiciary, and rural development.
Authoritativeness Maulshree’s work is characterized by depth and historical context. Her coverage of high-stakes state elections and landmark judicial rulings has established her as an authoritative voice on the intersection of law and politics in Northern India. She is frequently recognized for her ability to gain access to primary sources and for her nuanced understanding of the socio-economic factors that drive the world's most populous sub-national entity.
Trustworthiness & Ethical Journalism Her reporting is rooted in rigorous fact-checking and a steadfast dedication to neutral, unbiased storytelling. By prioritizing field-based verification—often traveling to the most remote corners of the state—she ensures that her readers receive a truthful and comprehensive view of events. ... Read More
