Notice Issued To Akhilesh Yadav For Targeting Election Commission
Uttar Pradesh, 27th October 2022: Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav is stuck with one of his statements. A notice has been issued to him on the statement made targeting the Election Commission. The Election Commission has sought evidence from Akhilesh regarding his statement. Akhilesh has to answer the matter to the Election Commission by 10th November. Attacking the commission, Akhilesh had said during the national convention of the SP that at the behest of the BJP, the names of 20 thousand Yadavs and Muslims from every assembly constituency in UP were removed from the voters’ list. Akhilesh had also said this was a big reason for the defeat of SP. Some media reports said that Akhilesh Yadav had demanded an inquiry into the deletion so that the truth could be known.
According to a letter sent to the Samajwadi Party chief, the Election Commission has said that the law does not provide electoral rolls based on caste or religion. The ECI ensures the correct publication of the electoral registration/amendment/final list, inter alia, as envisaged in the Representation of the People Act 1950 and the Representation of the People Act, 1951. There are also provisions for punishment and criminal laws for undue interference including willful mis-declaration. However, HT is yet to see a copy of the letter.
It further said that the allegations levelled by the party chief are extremely serious and affect the fairness of elections and democracy. In the letter, citing media reports, it has been said that the statement made allegedly is also not correct in the sense that he is an experienced politician as well as the head of a state-recognized political party and former chief minister of the largest state. involved in the electoral process. The commission has asked Akhilesh Yadav to submit the evidence in the matter with details by November 10, 2022, so that necessary action can be taken.
The commission has said in the letter that if such a large number of names have been removed, then the assembly-wise data should be submitted. Also, give details of assembly constituency-wise numbers and names removed. If such voters have made any complaint, then also tell them about it. If any delegation of voters has made any complaint regarding this to any DEO or CEO during the process of SSR or general election, then also provide the details thereof.
It has also been said in the letter that no complaint has been received from any assembly constituency for deleting the names of 20,000 people or such a large number of voters. No such complaint has come to the fore during the assembly elections nor has been received after that. Such a matter has not even been brought to the notice of the election officials at the district or state level.
Only one Samajwadi Party candidate from the Aliganj assembly constituency had made a complaint regarding the deletion of names of about 10,000 minority and scheduled caste voters from the list. The CEO of Uttar Pradesh investigated it but the allegations were found to be false.