Rahul Gandhi Raises Concerns Over Voter List Anomalies in Maharashtra
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Synopsis
On February 7, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, accused the Election Commission of India of withholding vital electoral information, alleging discrepancies in the Maharashtra voter list that could benefit the BJP. He raised alarms about a significant increase in registered voters and suggested potential legal action if transparency is not maintained.
Key Takeaways
- Rahul Gandhi questions ECI's transparency.
- 39 lakh voters allegedly added before Assembly elections.
- Data inconsistencies between ECI and state government.
- Concerns raised over the impact on marginalized communities.
- Call for a return to paper ballots in elections.
New Delhi, Feb 7 (NationPress) Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, on Friday criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI) for failing to disclose the electoral rolls for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha election and the voter list from last year's Maharashtra Assembly elections. He expressed concerns over the potential inclusion of fictitious voters to aid the BJP and its affiliates.
Gandhi raised alarms over possible discrepancies in the voter list for the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election, which was previously won by the BJP-led Mahayuti. He claimed that approximately 39 lakh voters were added to the list following the Lok Sabha elections in May 2024, merely six months before the Assembly elections scheduled for November 2024.
Speaking to the media on the premises of Parliament, the Congress MP stated, “The number of eligible voters in Himachal Pradesh was added to the voter list of Maharashtra within six months after the Lok Sabha elections.”
He hinted at the possibility of pursuing legal action if the ECI continues to withhold this essential information.
The LoP pointed out inconsistencies in the statistics, as it appeared that there were more registered voters in Maharashtra than the state government's own reported figures for the total adult population.
“According to the Maharashtra state government, there are 9.54 crore adults in the state, while the ECI claims there are 9.7 crore registered voters,” Gandhi stated, asserting that the adult population numbers are based on data from the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.
He questioned whether the ECI has lost track of the dynamic voter list or is intentionally manipulating it, stating, “It is evident that the voter list in Maharashtra is flawed.”
Rahul Gandhi also suggested that all newly added voters in the Maharashtra Assembly election favored the BJP.
While acknowledging that a list was provided to candidates prior to the Assembly election, he noted it was not centralized, and each candidate had to verify it at individual polling booths.
To substantiate his claims, LoP Gandhi presented slides and intentionally featured an image of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who famously emphasized that “The electoral roll is the most fundamental thing in a democracy.”
He further claimed that in addition to new names being added in Maharashtra, the EC had removed many names and relocated voters between booths, disproportionately affecting the Dalit, Tribal, and minority communities.
Sanjay Raut, a leader from Shiv Sena (UBT), who was also present at the media briefing, stated that the ECI must address the concerns raised by Rahul Gandhi if it wishes to maintain its impartiality and uphold democracy.
“Should the ECI fail to respond, it would suggest a compromised integrity,” he added, indicating that the ECI seems to be under governmental influence.
Labeling the 39 lakh new entries in Maharashtra's voter rolls as “floating voters,” Raut said these names are being added across various states preparing for elections.
In a call for a return to paper ballots, Supriya Sule, a leader of the NCP(SP), mentioned that certain candidates from her party expressed doubts about receiving the actual number of votes cast in their favor.
The BJP-led Mahayuti secured victory in the Maharashtra Assembly election by winning 235 seats in a 288-member House, with a voter turnout of 66.05, marking the highest since 1995.
