‘BJP hides behind institutions’: Akhilesh accuses Center of using EC in UP bypolls; final SIR list released

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday accused the BJP of using the Election Commission during bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, saying that the party uses institutions when it begins to lose on real issues.“Election commissions are working at the behest of the BJP. Of all the bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission has worked on the directions of the BJP. When the BJP starts to lose on real issues, it hides behind institutions to carry out its attacks,” he said during a visit to Rajasthan. In the final voter list of Uttar Pradesh released on Friday after the Special Intensive Revision, the electorate has increased by over 84 lakh. Chief electoral officer Navdeep Rinwa said the final voter list now has 13.39 crore voters, up from 12.55 crore in the draft roll published in January.Rinwa said the process involved hearings and verification, and stressed that no voter’s name was removed without due process. “If a name present in the draft roll is missing in the final list, it is either due to a Form-6 application or a decision taken by the ERO after due hearing,” he said.He added that political parties were involved throughout the process. A total of 107 complaints were received from parties, most of them from the Samajwadi Party, and all were addressed.Rinwa also said that those not satisfied with the final list can file an appeal before the district magistrate within 15 days, and further approach the Chief electoral officer if needed.