New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India, alleging that the poll body was acting in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party and misusing Form 7 during the ongoing revision of electoral rolls.
Form 7 row triggers political storm
Form 7 is issued by the Election Commission to allow objections or requests for deletion of a name from the electoral rolls. Yadav alleged that the process was being selectively used in areas where the Samajwadi Party had performed well, leading to unrest at several locations.
“At the last press conference, we raised questions about Form 7 and the government has engaged agencies and professionals based in Delhi, Lucknow and other parts of the country. They have the complete voter list and are using it to identify the booths where the Samajwadi Party won the elections. Form 7 is being completed and printed at these locations, and disturbances have occurred at many of them,” Yadav was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Allegations of BJP–EC nexus
Accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of colluding with the poll body, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the Election Commission was no longer functioning independently.
“They (the BJP) have already won the Bihar elections through the use of Special Intensive Revision (SIR)…They are now trying the same approach in West Bengal with SIR. The state government and the Chief Minister there repeatedly claim that the Election Commission has become the BJP’s commission… The Election Commission should simply hoist the BJP’s flag,” he added.
Claims linked to Bihar and West Bengal
Yadav further alleged that the Special Intensive Revision process had earlier been used to benefit the BJP in Bihar and was now being replicated in West Bengal, which is headed for elections.
He claimed that similar methods were being adopted to influence voter rolls and affect electoral outcomes, allegations that the Election Commission has not responded to so far.
EC extends deadline for claims and objections
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has extended the deadline for filing claims and objections under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh until March 3, 2026.
The decision followed a request from the state’s Chief Electoral Officer seeking more time to allow citizens to participate in the process. According to an Election Commission letter dated February 5, the draft electoral rolls were published on January 6, 2026, and the earlier deadline for submissions was February 6.
Invoking Rule 12 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, the Commission said the extension aims to ensure wider public participation and thorough verification, giving voters adequate time to check entries, seek corrections, raise objections, or apply for inclusion in the rolls.