Brajesh Pathak Hails Ayodhya Deepotsav, Responds to Akhilesh Yadav on SIR

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Saturday said Ayodhya was preparing for an even grander Deepotsav, while also responding to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s continuing criticism of the electoral-roll revision process.

Speaking in Lucknow, Pathak said Ayodhya had gained increasing international prominence since 2017 and described the upcoming festival as a showcase of Sanatan cultural traditions.

The 10th edition of Deepotsav is being held in Ayodhya on November 7, 2026, with Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan attending the celebrations.

Vice President to Attend Ayodhya Deepotsav

Pathak said BJP workers would welcome the Vice President during his visit to Ayodhya.

According to the Vice President’s Secretariat, Radhakrishnan will offer prayers at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, participate in the symbolic coronation ceremony of Lord Ram and felicitate saints.

This year’s Deepotsav is expected to feature the lighting of more than 30 lakh earthen lamps across 56 ghats, along with cultural performances, drone displays and international Ramleela presentations.

Pathak Extends Festival Greetings

The Deputy Chief Minister extended greetings to residents of Uttar Pradesh for Deepotsav as well as the upcoming festivals of Diwali, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj.

He said visitors to Ayodhya would witness what he described as a magnificent celebration of Sanatan culture.

Ayodhya’s Deepotsav began in 2017 and has expanded considerably over the past decade, with this year marking its 10th edition.

Pathak Responds to Akhilesh Yadav on Electoral Rolls

Pathak also responded to Akhilesh Yadav’s criticism of the Special Intensive Revision and related voter-roll exercises.

He said matters involving electoral rolls fall within the jurisdiction of the Election Commission of India and urged every eligible voter whose name had been omitted to ensure that it was restored.

Pathak said:

“All those voters who have been left out should ensure that their names are included in the voter list.”

Election Commission Gives Left-Out Voters Another Opportunity

The Election Commission has recently directed election authorities to give certain voters left out of draft rolls another opportunity to submit documents for inclusion.

Its instructions include republishing booth-wise lists of excluded voters, contacting them through Booth Level Officers and allowing eligible people to submit enumeration forms physically or digitally.

The Commission has said applications will undergo verification by Electoral Registration Officers before names are added to the rolls.

UP Voter Enrolment Drive Begins November 12

Uttar Pradesh is also preparing for a fresh voter-enrolment exercise.

The consolidated draft electoral roll is scheduled for publication on November 12, with claims and objections accepted until December 11.

Those applications are scheduled to be disposed of by December 28, with the final electoral roll planned for publication on January 4, 2027.

Akhilesh Yadav Raises Questions Over SIR

Akhilesh Yadav has accused the BJP of seeking to influence electoral rolls and has questioned the Election Commission over alleged voter deletions.

He has also challenged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s earlier claim concerning 1.27 crore Hindu voters allegedly being removed from Uttar Pradesh electoral rolls, asking how the Chief Minister obtained that figure.

Those allegations remain politically contested.

Pathak Says SP Has ‘Lost Its Ground’

Pathak rejected Yadav’s criticism and accused the Samajwadi Party of raising concerns because it feared electoral defeat.

He said:

“The Samajwadi Party has lost its ground.”

That statement represents Pathak’s political assessment and should not be read as an independent prediction of any future election outcome.

Deepotsav and SIR Dominate Political Discussion

The Brajesh Pathak Ayodhya Deepotsav remarks brought together two major issues currently drawing attention in Uttar Pradesh: the large-scale Diwali celebrations in Ayodhya and the dispute over electoral-roll revision.

While Pathak urged eligible citizens to register themselves if their names were missing, the Election Commission has separately introduced procedures intended to help excluded voters seek restoration through formal verification.