Akhilesh Yadav demands Aadhaar-linked voting, with metal cards replacing PVC and paper to avoid poll rigging

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday demanded that Aadhaar cards should be linked to voting and biometric identification should be adopted ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections to avoid rigging of the electoral process.

In an X post, Akhilesh Yadav stated, "Simple, straightforward demands regarding the election: Aadhaar cards should be linked to voting. ⁠Instead of paper or plastic, 'metal cards' should be made so they cannot be forged. Fingerprint or iris-based biometric identification should be adopted because no two people have the same biometrics, so the BJP will not be able to rig the vote."

This comes amid Opposition parties' ongoing agitation against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The INDIA bloc has demanded CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and a rollback of the SIR exercise.


Uttar Pradesh is set to hold Assembly elections next year, in which the Samajwadi Party eyes a comeback after two consecutive defeats in 2017 and 2022.

Meanwhile, today, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi listed out a "package" of election-linked exercises, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll and proposed Delimitation of seats in the Lok Sabha, as he slammed the Centre.

In an X post, Gogoi also flagged the electoral bonds, which allowed for anonymous donations to political parties and were struck down by the Supreme Court. He also accused the BJP of breaking opposition parties and making hate speeches during poll campaigns and also alleged "faulty" EVMs.

He wrote, "Modi- Shah - Election Commission of India package for people of India. 1) Delimitation - redrawing of constituency. 2) SIR - including fake and deleting genuine voters. 3) Electoral bonds - for corporate donors to get zero IT-ED raids. 4) Promote break-up of opposition parties and freeze symbols. 5) Transfer of Government officers - more you bend, the higher your promotion."

"6) Legal protection for chief election commissioner. 7) Scheduling of election campaigns. 8) Model code of conduct - get away with most vile communal remarks and hate speech. 9) EVMs - faulty. 10) Scrutiny of candidates- disqualify opposition candidates," the Congress leader added.