“Where can one place trust?”: Akhilesh Yadav questions ECI credibility, alleges SP voters “systematically deleted”

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 23 (ANI): Reacting to an Indian Express report which said two Election Commissioners had raised objections multiple times over decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and electoral roll procedures, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday questioned the credibility of the poll panel, alleging that voters supporting his party were "systematically deleted" from the electoral rolls without any corrective action.
Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Yadav said, "The Election Commission claims it will strengthen democracy. When such things are happening within the Election Commission itself, where can one place their trust? In the span of 10 months, various officials have written letters 14 times. Samajwadi Party voters were systematically deleted from the Election Commission's voters list. We brought this to the notice of the Election Commission, but no action was taken against anyone. Rampant malpractice was committed on a massive scale in the by-elections,"
Broadening his offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh, the former Chief Minister accused the ruling dispensation of arbitrary governance and running a bulldozing regime that undermines constitutional values.
"The government is acting arbitrarily. It is dismantling every system. Those who believe in demolition and destruction—whether it comes to the law or the Constitution—simply do not care about anything. This government is trampling upon everyone’s dignity and self-respect," he said.
Clarifying his party's stance regarding Ayodhya, Yadav asserted that the Samajwadi Party never opposed the construction of the Ram Temple, but accused the BJP of displacing local residents through aggressive demolition drives.
"We have never wanted to be an obstacle in the development of the Lord Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, nor will we ever be in the future. We will develop a far better city of Ayodhya than they ever could. They are snatching away the rights of the poor," the SP chief said.
"Many people stood in the waters of the Saryu River and took an oath never to vote for the BJP again. Why? Because their homes and properties were razed with bulldozers," Yadav added.
Yadav’s remarks come after an investigative report by Indian Express published today said that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders related to the SIR process.
The Election Commission sources, however, sought to play down the report, stating that all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including those related to SIR, were taken unanimously with the approval of both Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar.
The Opposition parties had earlier moved motions seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. In April 2026, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had said that 73 Opposition Rajya Sabha MPs submitted a fresh notice seeking the removal of the CEC on grounds of "proven misbehaviour".
Earlier, a similar notice was submitted in the Lok Sabha, which was rejected by Speaker Om Birla after consideration, according to a Lok Sabha bulletin. The Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan also rejected the motion. (ANI)