Akhilesh Yadav Accuses EC of Vote Manipulation in Uttar Pradesh

Leading a protest against alleged electoral malpractice, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday accused the Election Commission of India of collaborating with the ruling BJP to skew results in Uttar Pradesh elections. Yadav, supported by other opposition MPs such as Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, called out what he termed 'poll fraud', urging immediate corrective action from the electoral body.

The opposition leaders, marching towards the Election Commission office, were stopped by police barricades as they protested voter roll revisions in Bihar and other states. Yadav recounted previous complaints made over electoral discrepancies during elections, accusing officials of manipulating the voter rolls and employing biased officers to ensure BJP victories.

Highlighting alleged irregularities, including a case of police intimidation in Rampur, Yadav emphasized the need for swift action, stating, 'Democracy suffers when the right to vote is compromised'. He urged for fast-track judicial processes to handle such grievances, while SP members staged demonstrations demanding immediate redressal.

(With inputs from agencies.)