UP Elections: Yogi Adityanath Turns SIR Into Political Flashpoint, Claims 1.27 Crore Hindu Voters Missing

Lucknow: As the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections approach, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has made the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls a political issue, alleging that Hindu voters are losing representation while the Muslim electorate expands. This claim is part of the BJP's strategy to secure Hindu votes and counter the Samajwadi Party's efforts to gain support from Backward, Dalit and Minority communities.

At a rally in Ayodhya, Yogi claimed that 1.27 crore Hindu voters are missing from the Assembly electoral rolls, while the Muslim voter count increased by 1.65%. He also highlighted discrepancies involving 66 lakh voters present in panchayat rolls but absent from Assembly lists. Yogi further stated that 55 lakh Hindus receiving government welfare benefits and 4.5 lakh voters aged 18-19 are missing from the rolls.

The BJP has requested the Election Commission to include eligible voters missing from the rolls, and its workers will monitor booths. However, these claims require verification, as electoral roll changes may result from deaths, migration, duplicate entries, and the inclusion of new eligible voters. The political significance of Yogi's intervention lies in transforming an administrative matter into an issue of Hindu electoral strength, anticipating the Samajwadi Party's strength in the upcoming elections.