Akhilesh Yadav’s Allegations Against the Election Commission
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has accused the Election Commission of India of pressuring its staff to expedite the Special Intensive Review (SIR) process, questioning the urgency behind it. He further claimed that there are complaints from people in West Bengal regarding this procedure. During a press conference, he referenced the death of an observer in Fatehpur, allegedly due to the stress of the SIR process, and asked who would assist the Election Commission staff who are dying during this process.
Yadav stated that when he visited the family of the deceased supervisor in Fatehpur, they informed him about the immense pressure from the government to complete the process quickly. As a result, they claimed he took his own life. He questioned, ‘What is the rush?’ and noted that people in West Bengal are also alleging that the Election Commission’s hands are stained with blood. He emphasized that the Election Commission should step up to support its officials.
In addition to Yadav, several opposition leaders have raised concerns about the execution of the SIR process. Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot expressed serious worries regarding the ongoing SIR process, accusing officials of widespread irregularities and a growing crisis between them and voters. Speaking to a media outlet in Jaipur, Pilot remarked that while SIR has occurred before, there was no discussion or fear among the public then. ‘But for the first time, people are disturbed by it,’ he noted.
Pilot also referenced reports from Bihar where millions of names have been removed, asserting that the public has been given very little time to respond to the ongoing verification campaign. He expressed concern over the pressure on Booth Level Officers (BLOs), stating that many are committing suicide in various states, while others are reporting high levels of stress.
