North India Statesman
Samajwadi Party national president and Kannauj MP Akhilesh Yadav launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) following investigative reports revealing deep internal disagreements over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Lucknow, Yadav expressed grave concern over the erosion of institutional neutrality, asserting that there is “no point left” when democratic systems and constitutional decorum are routinely bypassed. Drawing a sharp parallel with administrative demolitions, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister accused the ruling dispensation of running a “bulldozer regime” that crushes constitutional norms, laws, and the fundamental franchise of citizens.
’14 Objections in 10 Months’: Akhilesh Flags Internal Dissent Within ECI
The controversy erupted following reports that two Election Commissioners had raised written objections on fourteen separate occasions over ten months regarding operational protocols of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the administration of electoral rolls. Highlighting these internal red flags, Yadav questioned how ordinary citizens could trust an institution tasked with safeguarding democracy when its own senior members repeatedly opposed central decisions. He contended that an autonomous constitutional body is expected to be completely impartial, but the documented friction suggests systemic compromise at the highest levels.
‘Opposition Votes Systematically Deleted Under SIR’
Turning his focus to on-ground voter rolls, the Samajwadi Party leader alleged that the revision mechanism was weaponized to suppress opposing voices. Yadav claimed that voters identifying with backward classes, minorities, and Samajwadi Party supporters were selectively and systematically purged from the electoral rolls under the guise of the SIR exercise. He stated that despite repeated formal complaints, party representations, and memorandums submitted to local and central election authorities, zero corrective measures were implemented. According to Yadav, stripping citizens of their constitutional right to vote without due process leaves “no meaning or dignity left” in the process, reducing elections to a predetermined exercise.
‘Bulldozing the Constitution, Laws, and Public Dignity’
Broadening his offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, Yadav invoked the metaphor of the “bulldozer” to describe the state’s governance style. He remarked that the ruling authorities maintain an inherently arbitrary, destructive attitude aimed at bulldozing every established safeguard—whether it pertains to statutory regulations, the Constitution of India, judicial precedents, or human dignity. He argued that this destructive mindset is not confined to demolishing homes and shops of the impoverished on the ground, but has expanded into dismantling the very institutional pillars that keep Indian democracy alive.
Legitimacy of Formed Governments Put into Question
Taking the critique a step further, Yadav asserted that governments formed during periods marked by such institutional manipulation stand on constitutionally questionable grounds. He maintained that when an election commission’s procedural integrity is fractured and internal checks are disregarded, the legitimacy of the resulting mandate is fatally undermined. Concluding his remarks, the SP chief warned that if autonomous constitutional bodies fail to preserve their independent functioning and continue to act under external political directions, public faith in democratic institutions will suffer irreparable damage.
