Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of conspiring with the BJP in Uttar Pradesh to remove names of PDA voters from electoral rolls using Form-7. PDA, according to Yadav, refers to a coalition of backward classes (Pichhda), Dalits, and minorities (Alpsankhyak).

Form-7, as defined by the Election Commission, is used to delete a voter’s name from the electoral roll. Addressing the media, Yadav alleged that an IAS officer in the chief minister’s office was pressuring divisional commissioners and district magistrates to purge PDA voters, raising concerns about large-scale electoral manipulation.

Yadav also claimed that many booth-level officers (BLOs) were distressed, citing instances where BLOs themselves were removed from voter lists. He questioned the credibility of conflicting voter lists shown to citizens, including those maintained by State Election Commissions versus local village authorities.

Also Read: #BreakingNews: Couple Found Hanging from Tree in UP Village, Woman in Bridal Attire

Citing sources from Sitapur, Yadav alleged that BJP-backed groups were submitting printed Form-7s of Muslim voters, exploiting illiterate citizens who could only use fingerprints to authenticate the forms. He claimed this fraudulent practice extended across constituencies from Ghaziabad to Ghazipur, targeting areas BJP had lost in the 2022 Assembly elections.

To prevent further manipulation, Yadav urged the EC to implement stricter verification measures, including numbering downloaded Form-7s, embedding poll panel holograms, and using artificial intelligence to detect fraud. He stated that his party had already submitted a formal complaint to the Election Commission highlighting these irregularities.

The allegations have escalated political tensions in the state, with Yadav framing the issue as part of a broader debate over voter rights, transparency, and electoral integrity ahead of upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Also Read: Merit Scholarships for EWS Students: Centre Promotes NMMSS in UP and North-East