Akhilesh Yadav targets Election Commission amid internal dissent reports

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has accused the central government and the Election Commission of operating in collusion, declaring that constitutional institutions will remain compromised as long as the BJP holds power. His remarks follow revelations of internal friction within the poll panel regarding voter registration procedures.

Editorial·October 2, 2026·reads: 418

Akhilesh Yadav targets Election Commission amid internal dissent reports

Yadav’s critique centers on the recent report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded 14 objections over ten months concerning the Special Intensive Revision exercise. While the Commission maintains these were standard administrative queries rather than signs of institutional dissent, the opposition views the friction as evidence of systemic bias. Yadav further escalated his rhetoric by linking the current administration to the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, asserting that impartiality is impossible under the current leadership.

Public pushback has moved from political speeches to the streets. Demonstrations occurred at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, while activists and opposition figures gathered near Jantar Mantar to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Police detained several participants, including AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, citing Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. The INDIA bloc intends to sustain this pressure, with a series of planned protests culminating in a major rally in Delhi on November 1.