Lucknow, Sep 23 (PTI) Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said governments formed during a period when the Election Commission was "not functioning impartially" were "unconstitutional", and that the "interference" with the poll panel amounted to "trampling" democracy.Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said the Election Commission was regarded as an impartial institution and was expected to strengthen democracy.Referring to an Indian Express report about two Election Commissioners recording objections 14 times in 10 months to decisions of the poll panel, he said the development raised questions over "on whose behalf" the Election Commission was functioning."The Election Commission has been exposed," Yadav said and called it a very serious matter.

"This is dangerous for our democracy. This is an attempt to weaken our democracy," he said.Yadav said the Election Commission was a constitutional body and questioned who was "playing with" such an institution for remaining in government."What can you imagine now? Would the Election Commission have been fair? Would it have been impartial?" the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked.He said if decisions of the poll panel were being questioned from within, it raises serious questions about the functioning of an institution whose basic expectation was impartiality.The leader of the third largest party in Lok Sabha said the development also had implications for governments formed during this period."This means that the governments which have been formed during this period are unconstitutional governments," Yadav said, alleging democracy had been "trampled upon".

Upon being asked about the course of action in view of the alleged lapses, Yadav said, "The first step should be to examine what happened to the decisions that have been taken so far, and the governments that have been formed." Referring to the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, he alleged, "In 2022, they made us, the Samajwadis, lose, and if this continues, they may be preparing for large-scale irregularities again." Yadav also said the latest revelations had to be viewed in the context of concerns he had raised earlier about the Election Commission's functioning.He alleged that during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, more than 100 votes were being deleted on the signature of a single person, despite rules allegedly permitting deletion of no more than five votes in such a manner. "What action did the Election Commission take?" he asked.

Yadav also claimed that a fake signature was used in the name of Nand Lal Nishad, who, he claimed, did not know how to sign, and alleged that votes of Muslims and Samajwadi Party supporters were targeted.No action was taken in any case because the Election Commission is not impartial, Yadav said, alleging that "It is someone's puppet and is part of a conspiracy." Urging the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter, he alleged the Commission's functioning had raised serious doubts about whether citizens could continue to have confidence in it. Questioning the transfer and posting of officials ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Yadav alleged that not a single official from PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) grouping had been appointed among those handling election-related work."What bigger conspiracy can there be? Whom will you make the presiding officer? Which officials will you send? Are the transfers and postings taking place because of some allegations, or is preparation for the election under way?" he asked.

Earlier, sharing a news clip of the report headline on X, Yadav said, "It is extremely serious news that in the last 10 months, two Election Commissioners have recorded their objections 14 times to the wrong decisions of the Election Commission." The former chief minister said this indicates that all Election Commissioners are "not able to perform" their duties impartially or that their concerns were not being heard.Making democracy a victim by becoming puppets of some people in power is a grave constitutional crime. It is no less than a conspiracy to destroy democracy, Yadav said.Yadav also said the BJP would be "badly defeated" by the people in the coming elections and that its "countdown" would begin from there. "The Election Commission is now so exposed that the people themselves will respond. Political parties apart, the people are going to respond in the coming time. They are completely exposed, and the BJP government has been exposed even more," he said. /Agencies