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Yadav’s reaction came soon after CEC Gyanesh Kumar said in a press conference that the ECI had not received any affidavits from Uttar Pradesh regarding complaints of voter fraud.
A file photo of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav (PTI)
After Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched the party’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar, a 16-day march spanning 1,300 km across more than 20 districts, his INDIA bloc partner and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, too, hit out at the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of concealing facts in the ongoing ‘vote chori’ (vote theft) row.
Yadav’s sharp reaction came soon after Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said in a press conference that the ECI had not received any affidavits from Uttar Pradesh regarding complaints of voter fraud. In a counter, the former chief minister demanded that the poll body itself file an affidavit to prove its claim.
Backing his charge with evidence, Yadav shared screenshots of email receipts purportedly issued by the Commission, insisting they confirmed the SP’s submission of 18,000 affidavits highlighting large-scale voter irregularities.
“The Election Commission which is saying that it has not received the affidavits given by the Samajwadi Party in UP should look at the receipt given by its office as proof of receipt of our affidavits. This time, we demand that the Election Commission should give an affidavit that the digital receipt sent to us is correct, otherwise, along with the ‘Election Commission’, ‘Digital India’ will also come under suspicion,” Yadav posted on X.
Yadav further said that the issue was larger than just affidavits — it was about the credibility of the Commission itself. “The Commission not only needs reforms but also radical changes. Today, the historic responsibility of saving democracy is on its shoulders. It is believed that many types of unwanted pressures are working on it, but it should not think that it is alone. When the Election Commission will start walking on the right path, the support of crores of Indians will become its protective shield,” he said.
The SP president added that the ECI must act decisively to restore faith in the electoral process. “A right and bold step by the Election Commission can ensure the future and welfare of infinite generations of the country. Everyone should listen to the voice of conscience. The Samajwadi Party gave 18,000 affidavits of vote robbery to Election Commission of India (ECI) but action is zero,” he said.
The exchange marks a fresh flashpoint between opposition parties and the Commission, with the SP aligning its pitch alongside Congress’s campaign for voter rights. While Rahul Gandhi’s yatra in Bihar has sought to energise the debate on electoral fairness, Yadav’s direct challenge to the ECI underscores how central the ‘vote chori’ allegation is becoming to the INDIA bloc’s strategy ahead of upcoming polls.
The Election Commission, which has so far stuck to its stance of “no affidavits received,” has not yet responded to Yadav’s demand for an affidavit.
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