Synopsis
Rahul Gandhi and MVA leaders accuse the Election Commission of not providing a centralised voter list for Maharashtra. The Opposition demands transparency in voter data, emphasizing the need for fair elections. They allege potential voter manipulation and stress the importance of an unbiased system.
AgenciesRahul Gandhi, in a joint press conference with MVA alliance leaders Sanjay Raut and Supriya Sule, alleged that the Election Commission of India is not providing the Opposition bloc with a ‘centralised voter list’ of Maharashtra.
The press conference, organised on Friday, was aimed at addressing the Bloc’s concerns on allegations surrounding the alleged voter manipulation, an issue first raised by the Congress-NCP (SCP)-Shiv Sena (UBT) shortly after the Mahayuti alliance led by the BJP came in power in Maharashtra last year.
“We want to bring to the notice of the people of India some information that we have found regarding the Maharashtra elections. We have studied in detail the voter lists, the voting pattern and we have a team working on this for some time. There are many irregularities that we have found,” Gandhi said,” said Gandhi.
He continued: “In five years between Vidhan Sabha 2019 and Lok Sabha 2024 elections, 32 lakh voters were added to the electoral rolls in Maharashtra. However, in a period of five months between Lok Sabha 2024 and Vidhan Sabha 2024, 39 lakh new voters were added in Maharashtra. The question is why are more voters were added in five months after the Lok Sabha elections than are being added in five years prior. Who are these 39 lakh people?”
Moreover, Gandhi pointed out that the number of voters who voted for these three parties (Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP-SCP) has not reduced within Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha.
“We got the same amount of votes. Congress vote in Lok Sabha 2024 in a constituency is 1.36 lakh votes and in Vidhan Sabha, we get 1.34 lakh,” the Congress MP said.
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha demanded the voter list of both Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls from the Election Commission of India, specifically the ‘centralised’ voters’ list.
“There are many, many, many voters that have been deleted. Voters who are in one booth have been transferred to another booth. Most of these voters come from Dalit communities, tribal communities, and minority communities… We have made repeated requests to the election commission. They have not answered us. The leader of the opposition has said this in Parliament House. The election commission has not responded. Now, the only reason they would not respond is that there is something wrong with what they have done. I am not making any accusations. I am presenting data here clearly,” Gandhi said.
Adding to the sentiment, NCP (SCP) MP Supriya Sule said that it is the responsiblity of the Election Commission to provide the voters’ list for Maharashtra to the Opposition bloc.
Furthermore, the Congress MP also demanded the complete voters’ list with the names, pictures and addresses of voters across Maharashtra.
Taking a sharp stand against the Election Commission, Gandhi said that EC must be fair and an unbiased body.
“If EC doesn’t give us the list, it means that we are heading towards the complete destruction of the Constitution,” said Gandhi.
Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut, who was part of the press conference, voiced similar concerns.
“If the Election Commission of the country is ‘alive’ – they must answer what Rahul Gandhi ji has asked. But, the election commission won’t reply as they have become the slave of the govt which was formed… From where these additional 39 lakh voters will go? They will go to Bihar. We have seen a few of them in Delhi elections. They will now go to Bihar and then UP,” said Raut.
