Akhilesh asks EC to verify affidavit receipts over 2022 UP poll 'anomalies'

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to see the acknowledgement receipts of affidavits submitted to the poll body by the party regarding "anomalies" in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

In a post on X, Yadav demanded the poll panel to issue an affidavit confirming the authenticity of the digital receipts his party received against its submissions.

He also shared screengrabs of their submissions regarding the 2022 Assembly poll results in Amapur, Bakshi Ka Talab, Jaunpur Sadar and Kursi constituencies.

His remarks came after Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at a press conference on Sunday spoke about the "vote theft" charges levelled by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against the poll body.

The CEC also spoke on the issues flagged by several opposition parties about the ongoing revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.

Hitting back at the allegations, the CEC questioned why "vote chori" charges are raised if no election petitions are filed within the stipulated time.

Kumar also exhorted all political parties to file their claims/objections on the draft electoral rolls in Bihar by September 1.

He asserted that the ruling and the opposition parties are equal before the poll authority and that the EC can't discriminate among political outfits.

A few hours after the presser, Yadav posted on X, "The Election Commission, which is saying that it did not receive affidavits sent by the party, should refer to the receipts issued by its own office as proof of our affidavits."  "This time, we demand the Election Commission to provide an affidavit stating that the digital receipts sent to us were authentic," he said, sharing screenshots of the party's submissions related to the 2022 UP Assembly elections.

If the digital receipts are found unreliable, both the Election Commission and even 'Digital India' will fall under a shadow of doubt, Yadav said, adding, When the BJP exits, truth will emerge.