LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has raised serious concerns about the credibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI) after discovering that BJP leaders seemingly knew in advance about extensive voter deletions. During a press conference on January 10, 2026, Yadav pointed out troubling discrepancies surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted in Uttar Pradesh.

Following the release of the draft voter list, Yadav revealed his fears concerning the removal of up to 3 crore votes from the electorally active population. He highlighted a perplexing situation wherein Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister announced that around 4 crore votes would be removed, well before the electoral roll's draft was published. "If BJP leaders are making such statements, then how does this not call into question the integrity of the Election Commission?". He asserted that such foreknowledge raises alarming questions regarding how information was managed throughout the electoral process.

The draft electoral roll published this week showcased disconcerting figures, indicating that 2.89 crore voters had been excluded, a significant 18.70% of the previously listed 15.44 crore. Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa noted that these deletions stemmed from reasons such as deaths, permanent migration, or duplicate registrations. The final electoral list is scheduled to be officially released on March 6, raising additional anxiety about the state of voter representation.

Moreover, Yadav pointed out inconsistencies in the data provided by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), questioning how there could be over 12.69 crore rural voters recorded for Panchayat elections when the total for Assembly elections was merely 12.56 crore. Amidst these developments, he remained hopeful that a thorough voter registration drive would ensure genuine voters' names are added to the list, highlighting the critical need for transparency and accountability in Uttar Pradesh's electoral landscape.