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Political activist Yogendra Yadav launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing the poll body of submitting a "bundle of lies" before the Supreme Court regarding electoral roll revisions, asserting that allegations of "vote theft" will continue to linger until the Commission provides transparent answers to seven critical questions.
Speaking to reporters, Yadav questioned the credibility of the Commission's response submitted before the apex court. "In response to the questions being raised against the Election Commission over the past few weeks, the Election Commission has filed this bundle of lies in the Supreme Court. I want to ask seven questions to the Election Commission," Yadav said. Posing his first three queries, the political activist demanded institutional transparency on decision-making, procedural amendments, and the administrative authority of electoral registration officers. "Number one: On which day, by which authority, and where was the decision on SIR taken? Produce the document of that. Number two: If you did not amend Form 6, could Form 6 be filed without that additional declaration you had introduced? If not, then you did make an amendment. Number three: If you claim that you did not strip the ERO of their powers, then why were the CEOs of Goa and Maharashtra repeatedly writing and asking, 'Please grant this power to my ERO'?" he asked. Yadav further raised concerns over the handling of voter roll entries in West Bengal and the criteria used to identify discrepancies. "Number four: In Bengal, 16 lakh applicationslakhs of applications and appeals filed in a single minutewhat was the name of the officer who filed them? And how did they take a decision on lakhs of cases within minutes? Number five: What is the software for logical discrepancy? Who makes the decisions? Who issues the notices? What is the SOP for deciding on notices?" Yadav asked. Questioning bulk deletions and address modifications, Yadav asked, "Number six: How was Form 7 filed in bulk? And under what law can a government official submit Form 7? Show the law for this. And what was the procedure for the Form 8s that were filed in bulk in Pilibhit? How do I know that it is not happening across the entire country?" Reiterating that public trust in the electoral process remains at stake, Yadav warned, "These are seven questions to which the Election Commission is not providing answers. And until the answers are received, the question of vote theft will remain." Addressing queries about the opposition's planned demonstration against the poll body, Yadav stated that various platforms have now united ahead of the upcoming gathering in the national capital. "The mega rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1 is extraordinary and unprecedented. Because now there are no separate protests left. Now there is one single protestwhich includes the INDIA bloc, youth organisations, civil society, and CJP," he said. Terming the protest a consolidated nationwide push, Yadav said, "There are no different issues or different demands; there is only one demand: the CEC must resign, the 2023 law must be repealed, and the SIR must be withdrawn. There are no separate organisations, no different voices; there is only one. The whole country is united, and there is only one date: November 1, Ramlila Maidan." (ANI)
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