Akhilesh Yadav Accuses Election Commission of Fraud in UP Polls

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav accused the Election Commission of India and state administration of deliberately delaying the vote count for 11 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council seats on October 27, 2026. Yadav alleged that round-wise results were withheld from political parties and the media, describing the process as a "mockery of democracy."

Specific allegations included the halting of counting in the Agra Teachers’ constituency while the Samajwadi Party candidate held a lead. Yadav also reported finding unfolded votes at a booth in Lucknow, which he characterized as a conspiracy to steal votes. He claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Election Commission, and the administration established a "three-tier curriculum of electoral fraud."

Yadav urged Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to ensure transparency and warned that his party would file legal cases against district magistrates and commissioners if malpractice was confirmed. Initial trends indicated a split, with the BJP and Samajwadi Party leading in four seats each and three seats remaining undecided.