ElectionCommission – Akhilesh Yadav Seeks Transparency in Voter Roll Revision
ElectionCommission – Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday accused authorities of serious lapses in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and called for strict action against those responsible. Speaking at the party’s state headquarters, he said his party would approach the Election Commission to demand greater clarity and accountability in the revision process.
Yadav stated that a delegation from the party plans to meet the poll body and submit a memorandum seeking clear guidelines on how First Information Reports should be registered in cases where irregularities are detected. He questioned why, despite repeated complaints, the Commission had not initiated corrective measures. He also indicated that the matter would be raised in the state Assembly following the meeting.
Demand for Clear Procedures in Form 7 Deletions
A central point of concern for the Samajwadi Party is the use of Form 7, the prescribed application for deletion of names from the electoral rolls. Yadav insisted that such requests should originate only from the designated booth level officer and not from any external source. He further urged that complete details related to each deletion — including the Assembly constituency, booth number and the identity of the applicant — be made public to ensure transparency.
According to Yadav, several complaints suggest that supporters of his party are being removed from voter lists through questionable methods. He alleged that the information shared so far by the Election Commission has been insufficient and has not addressed specific grievances.
Allegations from Sakaldiha and Babaganj
Highlighting specific examples, Yadav referred to a case in Sakaldiha where he claimed that 16 voters were removed from the rolls after forged signatures were allegedly submitted in the name of a Samajwadi Party MLA. He contended that many of those affected belonged to backward, Dalit and minority communities.
He also cited Booth No. 365 in the Babaganj Assembly constituency, where he alleged that nearly 100 votes were deleted using falsified signatures. During the press interaction, he read out names and booth details of voters who, according to him, were removed without proper verification.
The party leader maintained that his organization has been providing data related to such deletions for several days but has yet to receive a satisfactory response from the authorities.
Claims of Political Targeting
Yadav went further, alleging that certain deletions were part of a coordinated strategy. Referring to incidents in Bhojipura, he claimed that even a booth-level agent of the Samajwadi Party had his name removed. He also mentioned a case in Ballia’s Sikandarpur Assembly constituency, represented by party MLA Mohammad Ziauddin Rizvi, where he said the MLA’s wife’s vote had been deleted.
In addition, Yadav alleged that a senior leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party had claimed that around three lakh votes were removed in Kannauj, with similar action planned elsewhere. He described these alleged efforts as politically motivated, aimed at constituencies won by his party.
Figures and Accountability Questions
Citing data related to Form 7 submissions, Yadav said that while the Samajwadi Party had filed only 47 deletion applications in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP had submitted 1,729, and more than 1.28 lakh applications were filed by individuals listed as “unknown.” He questioned the identity of these applicants and suggested that the use of unnamed individuals could make accountability difficult.
Yadav also expressed concern that voters should not face inconvenience due to what he termed “logical discrepancies.” He argued that minor documentation variations or digital errors should not become grounds for disenfranchisement if all required documents have been submitted.
Political Reactions and Broader Criticism
When asked whether he believed the Election Commission was acting under pressure, Yadav responded sharply, urging the Commission to demonstrate impartiality. He accused the ruling party of prioritizing electoral victories over democratic values.
He further linked the issue to broader concerns such as inflation, unemployment, agricultural distress, law and order, and investment claims in the state. According to him, attention is being diverted from governance challenges by focusing on electoral management.
Yadav acknowledged that some of the figures he cited could change as official data continues to be updated daily. Nonetheless, he maintained that transparency and timely action are essential to maintaining public trust in the electoral system.