Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday demanded that the Election Commission of India take up and investigate thousands of affidavits his party says document electoral malpractices during recent Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council voting.
The appeal came a day after polling for two key MLC constituencies — the Allahabad-Jhansi Division Graduates’ seat and the Gorakhpur-Faizabad Division Teachers’ seat — concluded on Friday under multi-tier security, with counting set for October 27.
Allegations and the areas named
Yadav publicly accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and state administration of orchestrating obstruction to voting where the SP feared defeat. He named several districts across western and central Uttar Pradesh as sites of alleged interference.
- Agra
- Fatehpur
- Etawah
- Auraiya
- Muzaffarnagar
- Ghaziabad
- Noida
The SP has said the affidavits collected set out alleged instances of voters being prevented from reaching polling stations, and it intends to press the complaints up the administrative ladder until the EC acts, according to the original reporting.
“Well, that’s a good start now perhaps the Election Commission will also take cognisance of the thousands of affidavits we’ve gathered regarding electoral malpractices and scams,” Yadav wrote on X, the report stated.
Political context and likely fallout
The timing sharpens political stakes. Legislative Council contests generally attract intense local mobilisation, and parties often treat outcomes as indicators of organisational strength ahead of larger battles. For the SP, documenting and publicising complaints serves both to challenge the legitimacy of results it views as adverse and to mobilise supporters ahead of further elections.
By publicly inviting the poll panel to examine the affidavits, the SP is signalling it will pursue a formal administrative and legal route rather than confine grievances to rhetoric. How the Election Commission responds — whether by seeking detailed submissions, ordering inquiries, or dismissing the complaints — will determine whether the matter remains political theatre or moves into institutional oversight.
Security and administration during polling
Polling on Friday was conducted with layered security arrangements, the report said. Vote counting for the two seats is scheduled for October 27 and will be closely watched for any challenges or requests for recounts or inquiries the SP might pursue.
At present there has been no formal statement from the Election Commission reported in the coverage, nor has the state administration publicly addressed the specific allegations named by Yadav in his social media post.
Why the districts matter
The districts cited — spread across different regions of the state — suggest the SP argues the issues were not isolated incidents but coordinated impediments to voting. That claim, if advanced formally to the EC, would require the party to substantiate with evidence in the affidavits and possibly witness statements or documentation of official action.
| District | Region of UP |
|---|---|
| Agra | Western UP / Braj area |
| Fatehpur | Central UP |
| Etawah | Central UP |
| Auraiya | Central/Western UP |
| Muzaffarnagar | Western UP |
| Ghaziabad | Delhi NCR periphery |
| Noida | Delhi NCR / Gautam Buddh Nagar |
If the EC decides to examine the affidavits, its remit could include seeking replies from returning officers, directive-based reviews of polling station functioning, and scrutiny of administrative orders on polling day. Any formal probe would also raise questions about timelines and potential interim remedies such as re-polling at specific booths, though those would be exceptional measures.
What to watch next
- Whether the Election Commission issues a response or calls for detailed submissions from the SP.
- If the SP files formal complaints or petitions in the coming days, and whether they include corroborating material beyond affidavits.
- Counting day developments on October 27 and any immediate legal or administrative actions triggered by the results.
The proceedings over the coming days will show whether the matter remains a post-poll political narrative or prompts institutional scrutiny into alleged irregularities across multiple districts of Uttar Pradesh.
