Akhilesh Yadav Slams EC: “How Did BJP Know Voter Removal Figures Before Publication?”

LUCKNOW – Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission (EC) and the ruling BJP on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Speaking at a press conference in Lucknow, Yadav alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh is being manipulated to favor the ruling party ahead of upcoming polls.

His remarks follow the publication of the draft electoral roll on January 6, which revealed a massive exclusion of 2.89 crore voters from the state’s list.

1. The Numbers Game: “Advance Knowledge” Allegations

Yadav expressed deep suspicion over how BJP leaders seemed to have precise information about the voter list changes before they were made public.

• The Chief Minister’s Claim: Yadav pointed out that CM Yogi Adityanath had previously mentioned in a speech that approximately four crore votes would be removed—a statement Yadav claims is now “in the archives.”
• The Kannauj Connection: He also cited a former BJP MP from Kannauj who reportedly claimed that 3 lakh votes had already been purged in a single district before the official draft was out.
• The Discrepancy: Yadav questioned the math behind the current data:
  • Assembly Draft Voters: 12.55 crore
  • Panchayat Rural Voters: 12.69 crore
  • The Logic: Yadav asked how the rural-only panchayat list could have more voters than the state-wide Assembly list when both are prepared by the same Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

2. Fear of “Fake Aadhaar Machines”

In a notable shift in rhetoric, the SP chief demanded that voting be strictly linked to Aadhaar cards to prevent fraud, but with a unique condition.

• Metal Aadhaar Cards: Alleging that the BJP uses portable machines to print “fake Aadhaar cards” during elections, Yadav demanded that the government issue metal Aadhaar cards to prevent tampering.
• Data Conspiracy: “This is a new era of data… we hope the country will decide to link voting to Aadhaar to stop this conspiracy,” he added.

3. Preparation for “Fraudulent Voting”

To counter alleged irregularities, the Samajwadi Party has equipped its ground workers with a systematic complaint mechanism.

• Standardized Forms: The party has distributed “pre-filled” complaint drafts to its workers.
• The Strategy: Workers only need to fill in the specific names and booth details of fraudulent voters and submit them to the authorities immediately.

4. Uttar Pradesh Electoral Roll at a Glance (Jan 2026)