On Friday, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, raised alarms over a significant increase in new voters in Maharashtra, particularly in the five months between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. He noted that 39 lakh new voters were added in this short period, a stark contrast to the 32 lakh added over the five years preceding the 2024 elections.
Speaking at a press conference at the Constitution Club in Delhi, alongside Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders Sanjay Raut and Supriya Sule, Gandhi expressed concern over discrepancies in voter registration, suggesting that the number of registered voters exceeded the total adult population of Maharashtra.
“We want to bring to the attention of the Indian public some findings regarding the Maharashtra elections. Our team has been studying the voter lists and voting patterns, and we’ve identified several irregularities,” Gandhi stated.
He pointed out the peculiar situation where 39 lakh new voters were registered in just five months following the Lok Sabha elections. “Why were more voters added in this short period than in the five years prior? Who are these 39 lakh individuals?” he questioned.
Gandhi highlighted that the official adult population of Maharashtra is 9.54 crores, yet the Election Commission reported more registered voters than this figure. “There seems to be a sudden surge in voters in Maharashtra,” he remarked.
He also noted that the voting numbers for Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP-SCP remained consistent between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. “In Lok Sabha 2024, Congress received 1.36 lakh votes in a constituency, and in the Vidhan Sabha, it was 1.34 lakh,” he explained.
However, he pointed out that the addition of 35,000 new voters in these constituencies significantly benefited the BJP in the Assembly polls. “The BJP received 1.9 lakh votes in Lok Sabha and 1.75 lakh in the Vidhan Sabha. Many of those who supported the BJP came from these 35,000 new voters,” he added.
Gandhi demanded the Election Commission release the voter lists for both the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. “We have repeatedly pointed out these anomalies and need access to the voter lists—names and addresses of voters in Maharashtra—to understand the identity of these new additions,” he stated.
He noted that numerous voters had been removed or transferred between booths, particularly affecting communities such as Dalits, tribals, and minorities. “We have requested information from the Election Commission multiple times, but to no avail. The only reason for their silence could be that something is amiss in their actions,” he said.
In response, the Election Commission stated in a post on X that it prioritizes communication with political parties, considering them key stakeholders. The Commission promised to respond in writing with the factual and procedural information uniformly adopted across the country.
