Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India of allowing irregularities in the voter-list revision process. Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise was being used for what he described as “vote fixing.” He called for linking voter records with Aadhaar and introducing biometric verification facilities at polling booths. Yadav argued that electoral rolls must be accurate, transparent and free from duplicate entries. His allegations come amid a wider political debate over voter-list verification and electoral transparency. The claims about deliberate manipulation were made by the SP chief and were not independently established in the information provided.

SP Chief Claims Duplicate Entries Found in Voter Lists
Yadav said his party had come across what he described as discrepancies while examining voter-list information. According to his claim, entries associated with the same names had appeared across multiple districts, with 2,441 entries identified on the basis of two names. He urged election authorities to ensure that eligible voters were not excluded and that duplicate or multiple registrations were corrected. The SP leader argued that technology could help identify inconsistencies and improve the reliability of electoral rolls. He also alleged that the BJP had deliberately prevented panchayat elections, claiming that village-level representatives could help verify local voter information. The Election Commission's response to these specific allegations was not included in the information available.

Demands Aadhaar Linkage and Biometric Verification
The SP president called for linking voter identity records with Aadhaar and introducing biometric-reading equipment at polling stations. He said these measures could help improve voter identification and reduce errors in electoral records. Yadav warned that failure to address discrepancies could raise questions about the credibility of the electoral process. He maintained that public confidence in democratic institutions depended on transparent procedures and reliable voter lists. However, Aadhaar linkage and biometric verification involve legal, privacy and implementation considerations, and any changes would need to comply with applicable election laws and safeguards. Yadav also criticised the BJP over its statements on infiltration, questioning where the lists of alleged infiltrators were and accusing the ruling party of raising the issue during elections.

Law and Order, Reservation and PDA Alliance Also Discussed
Yadav also criticised the Uttar Pradesh government over law and order, alleging that public safety had deteriorated under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He raised questions about a reported death inside a jail in the chief minister's city and made broader allegations about intimidation and violence. The SP chief further referred to tensions along the China border and accused the BJP of undermining constitutional principles associated with Dr B. R. Ambedkar and reservation policies. During the press conference, he welcomed new entrants into the SP and said their participation would strengthen the party's PDA initiative, which represents पिछड़ा, दलित and अल्पसंख्यक communities. He expressed confidence that the new members would expand the party's political reach from eastern to western Uttar Pradesh as the next Assembly election approaches.