The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday directed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to submit documentary proof by November 10 to substantiate his allegation that names of 20,000 voters from the Yadav and Muslim communities were deleted from almost all the 403 Assembly constituencies at the behest of the BJP ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls earlier this year.
Akhilesh had on September 29 levelled the allegations but neither he nor anyone from his party ever registered a complaint in this regard. He claimed that if a probe was conducted it will be found that the names of many people were removed.
The Election Commission has now sent a notice to him seeking substantiation of his “serious” allegations with supporting evidence of such voters, constituency wise, whose names were wrongfully deleted. The EC also asked him to furnish details of any specific complaint in this regard with electoral authorities in the State.
The law doesn’t provide for an electoral roll based on caste or religion. The Election Commission noted, “The Representation of People Act 1950 and the Representation of People Act 1951 inter-alia envisage various provisions aimed at ensuring purity of electoral registration/revision/final roll and provisions for penalties and criminal liabilities for undue interference including false declaration knowingly and promoting enmity between classes.”