Agencies hired by govt selectively targeting booths where SP won elections: Akhilesh slams SIR
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged large-scale misuse of the Special Intensive Revision exercise in Uttar Pradesh, claiming that professional agencies hired by the government were selectively targeting booths where his party had won elections.
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said, “The government has hired certain agencies comprising professionals sitting in Delhi, Lucknow and other places across the country.
“They have access to the entire electoral roll data and, using that, they are identifying booths where the Samajwadi Party won elections. Form-7 is being systematically filled and sent from such booths.”
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According to the Election Commission, Form-7 is used to either object to someone's inclusion in the electoral roll or request deletion of a name already listed.
“The forms are properly filled, printed and then sent. At many places, this has led to protests and disturbances," he claimed.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise had already influenced election outcomes in the country.
"Through the SIR, they (the BJP) have managed to win the Bihar elections. The exercise played a major role there,” he claimed.
Alleging that similar attempts were being made in poll-bound West Bengal, Yadav said, “The BJP is trying to do the same thing in Bengal. That is why the Bengal government and its chief minister (Mamata Banerjee) are repeatedly saying that the poll panel has become the BJP's commission.”
On Mamata Banerjee arguing her case before the Supreme Court as a lawyer, Yadav said, “She was forced to wear the black coat and stand before the Supreme Court against the BJP. This shows the kind of discrimination that is taking place and how the Election Commission has become a 'Sahyogi Dal' (ally party) of the BJP.”
He also claimed that several Samajwadi workers and PDA 'praharis' had flagged the suspicious forms.
“From time to time, the PDA praharis and Samajwadi workers and leaders have given us forms which were already filled,” he claimed.
PDA is a political acronym coined by Yadav to represent a coalition of backward classes (Pichhda), Dalits, and minorities (Alpsankhyak).
Yadav also referred to specific cases, naming individuals who, he claimed, were victims of forgery.
“A matter involving Dashrath and Nandlal has now come to light. Nandlal is with us today. I am happy that brave Nandlal is standing with us,” he said.
Alleging signature forgery, Yadav said, “This is the same Nandlal whose thumb impression was allegedly taken by the BJP. Just think of all the sections that are invoked when someone forges a signature. The Election Commission also has rules on this.”
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Kerala woman on trek at Tadiandamol hills goes missing, search operations on
Bengaluru (PTI): A 36-year-old woman, who went trekking at Tadiandamol hills in Kodagu district, has gone missing inside the forest. Additional personnel and drone cameras have been deployed to search for her, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said on Sunday.
He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, expressing concern about the young woman's disappearance, instructed that search operations be intensified.
G S Sharanya had come alone from Kerala for the trek and stayed at a private homestay in Kakkabe village.
She had gone to the high mountain range of Tadiandamol hills in Kodagu with a guide and 15 other trekkers on April 2. She went missing that afternoon. As soon as the matter was known, five teams of 50 people, including police, the anti-Naxal squad, a dog squad and forest personnel were formed, and are conducting searches, the minister's office said in a statement.
According to Khandre, CM Siddaramaiah expressed concern about the disappearance of the young woman who went on a trek and instructed that additional personnel be deployed for the search.
"Four additional teams of 40 personnel have been deployed today. A total of 9 teams are conducting the search operation. Honest efforts continue to find the missing young woman," he said.
Further noting that, as per reports, the young woman last contacted the homestay by phone on Thursday, stating she had lost her way, the minister said, "Search is being conducted based on her phone location. Local tribal people have also rushed to help, and sophisticated thermal drone cameras have been obtained with an additional team deployed starting today."
