New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) – Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Monday raised serious concerns over the integrity of the Maharashtra assembly elections held in November last year. Addressing the Lok Sabha during the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, Gandhi alleged that nearly 70 lakh voters—equivalent to Himachal Pradesh’s population—were added to the electoral rolls in Maharashtra between the Lok Sabha and state elections. He demanded that the Election Commission furnish detailed data on the matter to opposition parties.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi present in the House, Gandhi questioned the legitimacy of the electoral process that led to the BJP-led Mahayuti’s massive victory. Holding a copy of the Constitution in his hand, he stated, "Our democracy is built on the vote of our people. Without a secure voting system, the Constitution holds no meaning."
Massive Voter Roll Increase Raises Eyebrows
Gandhi emphasized the significant discrepancy in voter registrations between the Lok Sabha elections, which the opposition’s INDIA bloc won, and the Maharashtra assembly elections. "In just five months, Maharashtra saw an addition of nearly 70 lakh voters, a figure that exceeds the increase seen over five years," he pointed out.Citing specific instances, he mentioned that in a single building in Shirdi, around 7,000 new voters were added after the Lok Sabha elections. "I am not making an allegation, but this is highly unusual. How did an entire population equivalent to Himachal Pradesh get added to Maharashtra’s voter rolls ‘magically’?" he asked.
He further claimed that the newly added voters were predominantly in constituencies where the BJP eventually emerged victorious.
Opposition Demands Data from Election Commission
Gandhi asserted that the opposition has been persistently requesting the Election Commission to provide voter lists from both elections. "We are not accusing anyone, but we are asking the EC to share the names and addresses of voters from both the Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Let us verify who these new voters are," he said.Stressing the need for transparency, he declared, "The EC must disclose this data to the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). This will allow us to examine where voters were added and who was removed."
Concerns Over Electoral Appointments
Gandhi also took aim at recent changes in the appointment process of Election Commissioners. He pointed out that earlier, the Election Commissioner was selected by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India. However, the government removed the Chief Justice from the panel.“This raises an important question for the Prime Minister—why was the Chief Justice removed from the selection panel?” Gandhi asked. He further remarked that he would soon be attending a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Modi, where his presence would merely be symbolic due to the 2:1 ratio in decision-making. "Am I there just to rubber-stamp whatever they decide?" he questioned.
He also criticized the recent appointment of two new Election Commissioners right before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, suggesting that this move could influence the electoral process.
Opposition Mobilizes to Ensure Free and Fair Elections
A day before Gandhi’s address, the Congress announced the formation of an eight-member Empowered Action Group of Leaders and Experts (EAGLE) to oversee election integrity and monitor the Election Commission’s actions. The first agenda for the committee is to investigate alleged voter list manipulations in Maharashtra and submit a comprehensive report to the party leadership.Gandhi reiterated his concerns over election transparency, stating that the opposition has repeatedly asked the EC for voter lists from Maharashtra and Haryana, but their requests have been ignored.
"Something is not right with the Maharashtra assembly elections. The EC must come clean and ensure that there is transparency in the electoral process," he asserted.
The issue of electoral integrity is now gaining traction as opposition parties continue to demand accountability from the Election Commission ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.
