Akhilesh Yadav alleges bogus voting in 2024 UP by-elections, demands action from EC
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
Amidst a row that erupted over Bihar Special Intensive revision, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav raised concerns over alleged bogus voting and irregularities during the recent Uttar Pradesh by-elections.Speaking to ANI, the Samajwadi Party chief alleged "bogus voting" and "vote loot" in the by-elections conducted on nine seats of Uttar Pradesh in November 2024.Urging the Election Commission to look into the matter, Yadav stated that if the polling body terminates or suspends the DMs of the districts where the by-polls were held, there would be zero discrepancies in the voter list.The SP chief asserted that the Election Commission and the government should make solid arrangements to avoid "bogus voting."He said, "Regarding this 'vote' matter, when you have so many resources available, the Election Commission and Government should have solid arrangements in place, so that there is no bogus voting. Since the BJP was an expert in manipulating votes, they managed to arrange the maximum number of bogus votes. When they ran short of votes to win, they pushed forward the Police. The Election Commission should look at the UP by-election first of all... If the DMs of the districts where the by-polls were held are suspended or terminated, there would be no discrepancies in the voter list, there would be no bogus voting, nobody's name would be deleted..."Asked about RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav 's claims that Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Sinha has two EPIC numbers, Akhilesh Yadav accused the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of facilitating "vote loot" in the state, saying, "...If their Deputy CM has two EPIC numbers, here the CM was facilitating vote loot. The CM here was facilitating booth loot..."Alleging interference by officials during voting, the SP chief said, "In Ayodhya, who were the Education Department officials who were delegating duty to others? In Mirapur, Kundarki, the Commissioner, SSP and DM were going around with force to make sure that people did not step out to vote. Did we not see a revolver being aimed at women? Was the Election Commission sleeping? That is why we had gone to offer them a white 'chadar'. When officers become criminals to loot votes, who will take action?..."Yadav also expressed his dissatisfaction over the ongoing three-day session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly He said, "Why are they convening a three-day session? They should have conducted a three-hour session. I object to running the House proceedings for 24 hours. You did no work in 9 years, and now you want people to stay awake for 24 hours. What madness is this?"
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
28 minutes ago
- Indian Express
On Independence Day, Opp gives call to ‘safeguard democracy' amid ‘vote theft' row
The opposition Congress and NCP (SP), in different programmes on Friday, gave a call to safeguard democracy amid allegations of 'vote theft' by the ruling coalition in the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls. Meanwhile, the ruling NCP said the name of a voter can appear twice due to change of address for some reason, but it is important to ensure the voter in question does not vote twice. 'We participated in the protest in Delhi against the Election Commission of India because the issue was about safeguarding democracy. The elections will continue, but it is utmost important to safeguard democracy,' said NCP (SP) working president and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule after the flag-hoisting ceremony at the party headquarters. NCP (SP) state president Shashikant Shinde said it was time for all to ponder upon the fight of our freedom fighters. 'Looking at the ongoing onslaught on our democracy, one wonders whether we achieved Independence for this,' Shinde said, adding that it was time for all of us to stand together to protect democracy on this Independence Day. Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal, speaking after the flag hoisting at the Congress headquarters Tilak Bhavan, said, 'The powers in government today never participated in the freedom struggle. These people were with the British, they enjoyed pension from the British and never participated in the freedom struggle. The Congress was at the forefront of this struggle and it made huge sacrifices for our Independence.' He added that the 'indiscipline' and 'chaos' prevalent in the country today can be checked only by the Congress. Meanwhile, commenting on the voter revision exercise, NCP state president Sunil Tatkare said the process for revision of voters is continuous. 'There is a possibility that a voter might have his or her name registered twice as he / she changes address for some reason. But it is important to ensure the voter does not vote twice. To ensure that doesn't happen, the revision process takes place,' said Tatkare, when asked about the ongoing allegations of vote theft.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Fulfil freedom fighters' dreams, Minister urges people
Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy has appealed to people to strive towards fulfilling the dreams of the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for India's independence. Addressing the gathering at the 79th Independence Day celebrations held at the police parade grounds here on Friday, the Minister, along with MLA Badeti Chanti, Zilla Parishad Chairperson Ganta Padma Sri, Eluru District Collector K. Vetri Selvi, Range IGP G.V.G. Ashok Kumar, Superintendent of Police K. Pratap Shiva Kishore, and Joint Collector Dhatri Reddy, recalled the sacrifices of the nation's heroes and urged the youth to draw inspiration from them. Highlighting various welfare and development initiatives, Mr. Parthasarathy said the government was committed to empowering the poor, women, and students. 'It is our duty to develop the nation in all spheres, just as our freedom fighters envisioned,' he said. On the occasion, the Minister launched the 'Stree Shakti Scheme', enabling free bus travel for women in Eluru. Accompanied by the Collector and other officials, he travelled in a bus and interacted with women passengers to understand their experiences. IGP Ashok Kumar distributed sweets to staff and urged police personnel to work with dedication and ensure justice for the needy. The SP participated in Independence Day celebrations at Suresh Chandra Bahuguna English Medium School, motivating students to work hard to achieve their dreams. He also assured the development of school infrastructure, including the provision of computers for the laboratory. Cultural performances by students won the appreciation of the police officers present. Later, the Minister, Collector, IGP, and SP presented meritorious certificates to 54 personnel for their exemplary service.
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Fair and transparent elections essential for a stronger democracy, says Krishna Byre Gowda
Minister for Revenue Krishna Byre Gowda said the freedom that India gained after such a long struggle can only be retained if elections are conducted in a just and non-partisan manner. Speaking after hoisting the national flag in Hassan on Friday, Mr. Krishna Gowda, who is also the Minister in charge of Hassan district, said that India's freedom was a result of the sacrifice made by many people. The people of the nation were being governed in a democratic setup as a result of the long fight against the British, he added. 'Elections are the pillars of a democratic system. Democracy remains strong only when the elections are held in a transparent manner. Today, however, many questions are being raised about the way elections are held,' Mr. Byre Gowda stated. The Minister said that every Indian would want the Election Commission to act in a non-partisan manner and hold elections transparently. 'We can retain our independence only if elections are held justly and transparently. Otherwise, we will lose our freedom. Such a thing should not happen. We should be alert and ensure democracy remains strong', he said. Further, Mr. Byre Gowda said that although the country had achieved progress in many fields since Independence, there was still a long way to go. 'The freedom we got will be meaningful only when the gap between the rich and the poor is bridged. However, in recent years, the gap has been widening, and the working class is not getting the share it deserves. On the other hand, only a handful of rich people are accumulating a large scale of wealth. The resources of the nation and its income should be shared equally with every individual,' he opined. Mr. Byre Gowda highlighted that the State government had implemented the five guarantee schemes to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. The guarantee schemes also helped in improving the State's GDP per capita, he said. Lok Sabha member Shreyas M. Patel, MLA for Hassan Swaroop Prakash, Mayor for Hassan Chandre Gowda, Deputy Commissioner K.S. Latha Kumari, Superintendent of Police Mohammed Sujeetha, Zilla Panchayat CEO B.R. Poornima, and others were present. Mr. Byre Gowda felicitated achievers from different fields at the event. As many as 38 platoons that included policemen, NCC cadets, home guards, and schoolchildren took part in the march past on the occasion.
