Latest news with #2ndSpecialSummaryRevision-2024
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
As Rahul Gandhi repeats Maharashtra voter roll allegations, ECI says he did not respond to invite for talks
On a day when Rahul Gandhi demanded the immediate release of machine-readable digital voter rolls as well as CCTV footage of the last Maharashtra Assembly election, the Election Commission of India said that it had invited the Leader of Opposition for an interaction on the issue 10 days ago, but has not received any response. In a post on X, Mr. Gandhi shared a media report which claimed that in the six months between the 2024 Lok Sabha election and the Maharashtra Assembly poll, Nagpur South West — the seat held by BJP leader and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis — added 29,219 new voters. 'In Maharashtra CM's own constituency, the voter list grew by 8% in just 5 months. Some booths saw a 20-50% surge. [Booth level officers] BLOs reported unknown individuals casting votes,' he said. 'That's why we demand the immediate release of machine-readable digital voter rolls and CCTV footage,' he added. The Congress leader, along with allied parties, has raised these concerns about the Maharashtra election time and again, last in articles published in various languages on June 7. 'Willing to meet' ECI sources said that, following the June 7 articles, the poll body had written to Mr. Gandhi on June 12. 'We presume that any issue regarding conduct of elections would have already been raised through election petitions filed in the competent court of law by the [Indian National Congress] INC candidates. However, if you still have any issues, you are welcome to write to us and the Commission is also willing to meet you in person at a mutually convenient date and time to discuss all issues. A convenient date and time may be communicated in this regard,' the letter said. 'Rolls shared already' In a post on X, the Chief Electoral Office in Maharashtra pointed out that, as already stated by the ECI, electoral rolls are shared with all recognised political parties. 'During 2nd Special Summary Revision-2024, which was taken up before the General Elections to Maharashtra Assembly-2024, the copies of draft and final electoral rolls of all 288 ACs were provided to representatives of all recognised political parties including INC (Dates of handing over the rolls to INC can be seen in the attachment),' the office said. 'Between draft and final publication of rolls, 19,27,508 claims & objections were received for consideration. As per law, appeal can be filed against wrongful additions or deletions in the Electoral Rolls. Only 89 Appeals were received,' it said. 'Congress seats also saw voter surge' Meanwhile, terming Mr. Gandhi's claims a 'bunch of lies', Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that there were over 25 constituencies in the State where voters had increased by more than 8% between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, most of which the Congress had won. He advised Mr. Gandhi to speak with his own party colleagues before putting out such posts. He cited the examples of west Nagpur and north Nagpur, which the Congress won and which saw a 7% surge in voters, and also pointed to constituencies won by the Congress's allies where voters had increased by 9% to 11%. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde too hit out at Mr. Gandhi, claiming that the allegations were being repeated solely because of the loss the Congress had faced in the State.
News18
15 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
'If You Lie, The Crow Will...': Fadnavis Dismisses Rahul Gandhi's Voter List Manipulation Charge
Last Updated: Fadnavis pointed out that voter turnout increased by over 8% between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in more than 25 constituencies, and Congress won the majority of seats Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of voter list manipulation in the state, where the BJP-led alliance scored a massive victory in assembly polls last year. Fadnavis pointed out that voter turnout increased by over 8% between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in more than 25 constituencies, and Congress won the majority of seats. He also cited examples of seats of West Nagpur, North Nagpur, Wadgaon Sheri in Pune district, Malad West and Mumbra, where Congress and its allies emerged victorious. झूठ बोले कौवा काटेकाले कौवे से डरियो…राहुल गांधी,माना की महाराष्ट्र की करारी हार की आपकी पीड़ा दिन प्रतिदिन बढ़ती जा रही है.लेकिन कब तक हवा में तीर चलाते रहोगे?वैसे आप की जानकारी के लिए, महाराष्ट्र में ऐसे 25 से अधिक चुनाव क्षेत्र है जहाँ 8% से अधिक मतदाता लोकसभा और… — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) June 24, 2025 'Vote Theft in 2024 Maharashtra Polls': Rahul Gandhi Flagging alleged irregularities in the Maharashtra assembly polls, Rahul Gandhi has claimed that there weren't isolated glitches but 'vote theft" and demanded the immediate release of machine-readable digital voter rolls as well as CCTV footage. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha shared on X a media report which claimed that in just six months between the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the Maharashtra assembly polls, Nagpur South West — the seat held by BJP leader and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis — added 29,219 new voters. 'Media uncovered thousands of voters with no verified address. And the EC? Silent — or complicit. These aren't isolated glitches. This is vote theft. The cover-up is the confession," he said. 'That's why we demand the immediate release of machine-readable digital voter rolls and CCTV footage," Gandhi added. In a post on X, the Chief Electoral Office in Maharashtra said as informed by the Election Commission of India already, electoral rolls are shared with all recognised political parties. 'During 2nd Special Summary Revision-2024, which was taken up before the General Elections to Maharashtra Assembly-2024, the copies of draft and final electoral rolls of all 288 ACs were provided to representatives of all recognised political parties including INC (Dates of handing over the rolls to INC can be seen in the attachment)," the office said. 'Between draft and final publication of rolls, 19,27,508 claims & objections were received for consideration. As per law, appeal can be filed against wrongful additions or deletions in the Electoral Rolls. Only 89 Appeals were received," it said. Gandhi's remarks also came on a day it emerged that the Election Commission has formally written to him on his allegations of rigging in the 2024 Maharashtra polls, saying all elections are held by the poll authority strictly as per laws passed by Parliament and rules, and the entire exercise involves thousands of personnel, including booth-level agents appointed by political parties. In a letter emailed to him on June 12 in response to his article written in a leading daily, the EC has said the entire election process is conducted in a decentralised manner at the assembly constituency level, which involved more than 1,00,186 Booth Level Officers (BLOs), 288 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), 139 General Observers, 41 Police Observers, 71 Expenditure Observers and 288 Returning Officers (ROs) appointed by the Commission. 'We presume that any issue regarding conduct of elections would have already been raised through election petitions filed in the competent court of law (high court) by the INC candidates," it told the LoP in Lok Sabha. 'However, if you still have any issues, you are welcome to write to us and the Commission is also willing to meet you in person at a mutually convenient date and time to discuss all issues," the poll authority said. First Published: June 24, 2025, 16:40 IST News politics 'If You Lie, The Crow Will...': Fadnavis Dismisses Rahul Gandhi's Voter List Manipulation Charge
