If smart meters can be tampered, why not EVMs: Akhilesh Yadav questions poll transparency

Samajwadi Party National President Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday raised questions over the transparency of elections, remarking, “If fraud is possible with smart meters, why can’t EVMs be tampered with?”—a day ahead of the crucial declaration of results for five state Assembly polls.

Addressing a press conference, Yadav alleged that elections, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, were being conducted in an atmosphere of fear. Referring to past by-elections, including Rampur, he claimed that the BJP contests polls by creating pressure among voters.

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Citing West Bengal as an example, he said elections there reflect the people’s will and expressed confidence that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would retain power in the state.

Launching a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the SP chief accused it of spreading misinformation and said the public was already witnessing a rise in inflation following elections, as he had predicted earlier.

Yadav further alleged that the BJP government was allowing its close associates to make excessive profits, resulting in increased financial burden on common citizens. Invoking the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, he said one must persist until achieving their goals.

Highlighting his government’s initiatives, Yadav said that laptops distributed during the Samajwadi Party regime to bridge the digital divide are still functioning effectively. Taking a dig at the current administration, he recalled an incident during his visit to Hardoi, where an expressway was reportedly closed by the administration. He said reopening an expressway inaugurated by the Prime Minister was necessary to avoid public inconvenience. Following his intervention, the expressway was reopened and toll-free for a few days, he claimed.

The SP leader also criticised the Uttar Pradesh government over employment concerns, stating that thousands of teaching posts have been reduced in Gorakhpur alone, indicating a broader crisis across the state.