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‘39 lakh new voters in 5 months,’ Rahul Gandhi alleges manipulation in Maharashtra polls; ‘introspect,’ says Fadnavis
Rahul Gandhi claims discrepancies in Maharashtra's voter registrations, alleging 39 lakh new voters were added in just five months. As the opposition demands answers from the Election Commission, questions arise about the integrity of the electoral process ahead of upcoming elections.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged discrepancies in last year's Maharashtra assembly elections claiming that there were more registered voters than the state's adult population. Gandhi also alleged that more voters were added in five months between the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly polls than in the five years before.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti won the Maharashtra elections held in November 2024. Gandhi alleged that over 39 lakh voters were added to the state's electoral rolls in five months.
The Rarbareli MP also asserted that if the state's opposition parties—Congress, Shiv Sena-UBT, and NCP-SP—do not meet their demand to the Election Commission, they will approach the courts.
The opposition parties have sought centralised data of voters' lists for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024.
32 lakh voters
“What we've found regarding the Maharashtra elections raises several questions for the Election Commission. Between the 2019 Vidhan Sabha elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, 32 lakh voters were added to Maharashtra's electoral rolls over five years. However, between the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the 2024 Vidhan Sabha elections, 39 lakh new voters were added in just five months,” Gandhi claimed at the press conference at the Constitution Club in New Delhi. He was accompanied by Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut and NCP (SP)'s Supriya Sule.
“Why were more voters added after the Lok Sabha elections? Who are these 39 lakh individuals? Notably, 39 lakh voters are equivalent to the entire voter population of Himachal Pradesh, added in a remarkably short period,” he said.
Pointing out that Maharashtra's adult population is 9.54 crore while the voter population in the assembly polls was 9.7 crore, Gandhi asked why there were more registered voters in the assembly elections in 2024 than the entire adult population of Maharashtra.
“Another concern is that there are more registered voters in Maharashtra than the state's actual voting population. According to the government, Maharashtra's adult population is 9.54 crore. Yet, the Election Commission reports more voters in Maharashtra than its adult population. This discrepancy raises questions about how these voters were created,” the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
“We have been asking the Election Commission for the voters' list of both the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. Why is the Election Commission not responding to our request,” he asked.
Devendra Fadnavis responds
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis rejected Rahul Gandhi's allegation.
What we've found regarding the Maharashtra elections raises several questions for the Election Commission.
“The Election Commission has categorically replied to all the questions. Rahul Gandhi is doing a cover fire as he knows that after the February 8, Delhi Election results, his party will be nowhere in Delhi, and hence, what he will speak on that day will be how he will create a new narrative. If Rahul Gandhi does not introspect and will continue to console himself with lies - his party's revival isn't possible. Rahul Gandhi should introspect his defeat,” he said.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance scripted its best-ever performance in Maharashtra, winning 235 of the 288 assembly seats and restricting the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance to 49 seats.
Key Takeaways
- Concerns raised about the accuracy of Maharashtra’s voter registrations.
- Discrepancy between the state’s adult population and registered voters indicates potential electoral manipulation.
- Opposition parties plan to escalate their demands if transparency is not provided by the Election Commission.
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Business NewsElections‘39 lakh new voters in 5 months,’ Rahul Gandhi alleges manipulation in Maharashtra polls; ‘introspect,’ says Fadnavis
First Published:7 Feb 2025, 04:32 PM IST
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