Sanjay Singh alleges irregularities in UP voter list, seeks disclosure of added names

Lucknow, October 16: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Sanjay Singh on Friday alleged irregularities in the state's voter list and called on the Election Commission to publish details of names added and deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

Citing figures he attributed to the Election Commission, Singh said Uttar Pradesh had around 15.44 crore voters before the SIR process, during which approximately 2.90 crore names were reportedly deleted. He said around 84 lakh applications were received for adding names and 4.30 lakh applications for deletions.

Singh questioned the difference between the number of applications received for adding names and the number of additions reflected in publicly available information. He said 71.13 lakh names had been reported as added against 84 lakh applications and asked the Election Commission to clarify the status of the remaining 13 lakh cases.

He alleged that 13 lakh bogus votes had been added in the state and sought the publication of the complete list of additions, including booth- and constituency-level details. Singh said the information was necessary for political parties to examine the changes in voter rolls. He also argued that even relatively small changes in voter numbers across constituencies could affect electoral outcomes.

The AAP leader also raised questions about applications submitted for deleting names under Form 7. He alleged that 85,000 names had been removed without reasons being specified and questioned how forms described as automatically generated could be used in the process. He said the procedure required scrutiny and raised concerns that eligible voters could face difficulties restoring their names after the election.

Singh cited the case of a woman named Reshma in the Tarabganj Assembly constituency of Gonda district, alleging that 188 applications seeking deletion of voters' names had been filed in her name. He questioned whether the applicant's identity and the authenticity of the applications had been adequately checked.

He also listed several other cases in which, he claimed, large numbers of deletion applications had been submitted in individual names. Singh alleged that many of the voters concerned were Muslim and called for an impartial investigation into the cases. These figures and allegations were presented by the AAP leader at the press conference.

Singh questioned statements by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister Pankaj Chaudhary in connection with the voter revision process. He called on the Election Commission to publish booth-wise details of newly added voters and the documents supporting the changes, saying the process should be transparent and free from political pressure.

Referring to the Delhi Assembly elections, Singh said the AAP had previously raised concerns about applications seeking deletion of large numbers of voters' names but alleged that the complaints had not received an effective hearing. He urged opposition parties and voters in Uttar Pradesh to raise concerns about the revision process and said protecting voting rights was a wider public issue.

Separately, Singh expressed concern over conditions in Lucknow's Faizullaganj area following flooding. He appealed to the state government to provide immediate assistance to affected residents and called for improvements in ambulance access, healthcare, ration supplies, sanitation and transport.

The AAP demanded an impartial inquiry into the allegations relating to the voter list, public disclosure of information on additions and deletions, and immediate relief for flood-affected families in Faizullaganj. The press release provided for this report did not include a response from the Election Commission or the state government to Singh's allegations.