Akhilesh Yadav Calls for Election Commission Action on Electoral Roll Irregularities
Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday publicly expressed his confidence in the Election Commission of India while urging the constitutional body to take decisive and lawful action regarding the party's complaints about alleged large-scale irregularities in the submission of Form-7 applications during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh.
Memorandum Symbolizes Public Faith in Institutions
Referring to the detailed memorandum submitted by an SP delegation to Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa, Akhilesh Yadav stated that the document represents the hope that citizens continue to place in constitutional institutions. "The memorandum handed over by our representatives is an expression of faith — the kind of hope that society has always placed in the honest conscience of those entrusted with responsibility," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister emphasized.
The SP chief acknowledged that there are instances when those in power allegedly pressure officials into acting improperly. "It is not always that people act wrongly on their own," he noted, suggesting external influences might be at play in the current situation.
Invoking 'Panch Parmeshwar' for Impartial Justice
Akhilesh Yadav cited the classic story of 'Panch Parmeshwar' to underscore his enduring belief in impartial justice. "The principle that justice ultimately prevails is something I continue to believe in," he asserted, adding that institutions must rise above political pressures to maintain their integrity.
The Samajwadi Party maintains it has submitted detailed objections along with what it describes as concrete evidence highlighting what it calls "countless irregularities" in the filing of Form-7 applications, which are specifically used for deletion of names from electoral rolls.
Specific Allegations Regarding Voter Targeting
According to the SP delegation's memorandum, several Assembly constituencies have witnessed bulk Form-7 applications targeting specific voter demographics:
- Sultanpur Sadar
- Sikandarpur
- Sarojininagar
- Jaswantnagar (Etawah)
- Ayodhya
- Pratapgarh
- Farrukhabad
- Mathura
- Moradabad
- Shamli
The party alleges that these applications specifically target PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) and Muslim voters, with hundreds of forms filed with identical formats and signatures at many polling booths.
Allegations of Pressure on Booth Level Officers
The memorandum further claims that Booth Level Officers in some areas are facing pressure from BJP functionaries to accept such applications without proper verification. This alleged pressure on ground-level election officials forms a significant part of the SP's complaints to the Election Commission.
SP's Demands and CEO's Response
The Samajwadi Party has made several specific demands to address the situation:
- Deletion proceedings should be initiated only through authorized Booth Level Officers
- Daily disclosure of Form-7 data must be ensured for transparency
- FIRs should be registered under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, against those submitting false declarations
Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa has assured the delegation that no eligible voter's name will be deleted without proper door-to-door verification and due process. He has also ordered an inquiry into complaints regarding bulk submissions of Form-7 applications.
Call for Legal Action and Institutional Vigilance
Akhilesh Yadav called for strict legal action against anyone found responsible for fraudulent or unlawful activities, including the registration of First Information Reports. "If there was a crime, it must be addressed within the framework of law," he stated unequivocally.
Emphasizing the broader democratic implications, the SP leader argued that democracy can only be protected when the Election Commission remains vigilant about its "glorious legacy." He stressed that officers must function with dignity, neutrality, and transparency to preserve both the credibility of the Commission and the sanctity of elections.
The former chief minister expressed confidence that the Election Commission would take cognizance of the SP's submissions and deliver a fair and reasoned decision on the matter, maintaining the institution's constitutional responsibility to ensure free and fair electoral processes.
