Akhilesh Yadav (president of the Samajwadi Party) has reiterated his demand for the abolition of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), stating that if developed countries can conduct elections using paper ballots, India should do the same. During a press conference at the Samajwadi Party headquarters in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, he expressed his determination to remove EVMs, asserting that it could take 'even a century' to achieve this goal. Yadav accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of acting as a divisive force and influencing the electoral process through a 'multi-layered election mafia.' Despite these challenges, he is confident that the Samajwadi Party can defeat the BJP in the 2024 general elections, even with EVMs in use. He also raised concerns about the potential for manipulation of EVMs, drawing parallels to issues with smart meters used for electricity consumption. Furthermore, Yadav alleged that the BJP government had disenfranchised voters during the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections by removing their names from electoral rolls. He emphasized the importance of the INDIA coalition in Uttar Pradesh, asserting its strength and unity.