Latest news with #MaharashtraAssemblyElections
India.com
a day ago
- Politics
- India.com
Dhool Chehre Pe Thi...: CM Fadnaviss Subtle Yet Sharp Counter To Rahul Gandhis Rigged Polls Allegations
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday countered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations that the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Elections were "rigged" with a subtle yet sharp rebuke. Speaking to reporters in Pune, the CM in a poetic manner, said that the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has made the same mistake throughout his entire life. "Ta-umr Rahul Gandhi aap yahi galti karte rahe, dhool chehre pe thi aur aap aina saaf karte rahe (Throughout your life, Rahul Gandhi, you have always made the same mistake; The dust was on your face, but you kept cleaning the mirror)," CM Fadnavis said, speaking in Hindi. #WATCH | Pune | Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says, "'Ta-umr Rahul Gandhi aap yahi galti karte rahe, dhool chehre pe thi aur aap aina saaf karte rahe' (Throughout your life, Rahul Gandhi, you have always made the same mistake; The dust was on your face, but you… — ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2025 Earlier, he called the allegations "nonsense," a "lie," and "an insult to voters." "This means that Rahul Gandhi has accepted his defeat in Bihar. Till the time Rahul Gandhi comes to the ground and understands facts, lies to people, and gives false hopes to himself and his party, his party can never win," Fadnavis told reporters. "He will have to wake up and understand the reality. Otherwise, he will keep speaking nonsense, keep lying, and insulting voters... Neither does Rahul Gandhi understand what he's saying, nor do people understand what he's saying," he said. Rahul Gandhi's Allegations Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday, alleged that the Maharashtra Assembly Elections held in November 2024 were "rigged", and claimed that the same will be repeated in Bihar Assembly Polls that are due later this year. In a post on X, Gandhi addressed the Election Commission of India (EC) and asked to publish consolidated, digital, machine-readable voter rolls for the most recent elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas of all states, including Maharashtra. "Dear EC, you are a Constitutional body. Releasing unsigned, evasive notes to intermediaries is not the way to respond to serious questions," he wrote. "If you have nothing to hide, answer the questions in my article and prove it by: • Publishing consolidated, digital, machine-readable voter rolls for the most recent elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas of all states including Maharashtra • Releasing all post-5pm CCTV footage from Maharashtra polling booths." Dear EC, You are a Constitutional body. Releasing unsigned, evasive notes to intermediaries is not the way to respond to serious questions. If you have nothing to hide, answer the questions in my article and prove it by: • Publishing consolidated, digital, machine-readable… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 7, 2025 Maharashtra Assembly Polls 2024 The Maharashtra Assembly Election of 2024 witnessed a victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, securing a landslide win with 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the saffron party, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats.
Hindustan Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
EC hits back at Gandhi over allegations
The Election Commission of India on Tuesday rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of abnormal voter turnout in the last two hours of the assembly polls in Maharashtra, asserting the party did not flag any such abnormality during or after voting, even as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that Gandhi's remark on the poll body was an attempt to deflect attention from the National Herald case. The ECI response comes days after the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged at an event in the US on Sunday that the poll body is 'compromised'. The former Congress chief said that according to ECI data, more people voted in the November 20, 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections than there were adults in the state. 'The Election Commission gave us a voting figure for 5.30 pm, and between 5.30 pm and 7.30 pm, 65 lakh (6.5 million) voters voted. This is physically impossible. For a voter to vote, it takes approximately three minutes and, if you do the math, it would mean that there were lines of voters till 2 am but this did not happen,' Gandhi had said, while addressing the Indian diaspora at an event in Boston. Rejecting the claims, ECI underlined that 6.40 crore (64 million) electors who reached the polling stations from 7 am to 6 pm voted in the Maharashtra polls, which effectively meant about 58 lakh (5.8 million) votes were polled per hour on an hour. 'Going by these average trends, nearly 116 lakh (11.6 million) voters could have voted in the last two hours. Therefore, casting of 65 lakh (6.5 million) votes by electors in two hours is much below the average hourly voting trend,' ECI said in a statement. The Congress leader had also alleged that when they asked ECI for videos, the request was not only refused but also the law was changed. 'It is very clear to us that the Election Commission is compromised, and it is very clear that there is something wrong with the system. I have said this multiple times,' Gandhi had alleged. ECI officials rejected the claims, stating that at every polling booth, voting was conducted in the presence of polling agents formally appointed by candidates or political parties. 'Indian National Congress's nominated candidates or their authorised agents have not raised any substantiated allegations regarding abnormal voting during scrutiny before the Returning Officer and the Election Observers the next day,' an official said, requesting anonymity. According to ECI, after the finalisation of electoral rolls last year for the Maharashtra elections, out of 97.79 million electors, only 89 appeals were filed before the first appellate authority, the district magistrate, and only one was filed before the second appellate authority, the chief electoral officer. 'Therefore, it is amply clear that there was no grievance from the INC or any other political party before the conduct of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections in 2024,' ECI said. It added: 'Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their own political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections. After any unfavourable verdict by the voters, trying to defame the Election Commission by saying that it is compromised, is completely absurd.' Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli slammed Gandhi over his remarks on ECI, accusing the Congress lawmaker of attempting to divert attention from the National Herald case, in which Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a charge sheet naming Sonia and Rahul Gandhi as accused in connection with its ₹988-crore money laundering probe. 'Rahul Gandhi's remarks on the Election Commission and democracy in India and conduct of elections establish that the Congress is trying to divert attention from the National Herald case by attacking institutions,' Kohli alleged, while addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Delhi. Kohli said ECI has an impeccable record, and many, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, have won elections. 'For their own political and personal reasons, the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Congress party are willing to attack even the institutions of India,' he added.
Hans India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
EC gives point-by-point rebuttal to Rahul's claims on Maharashtra poll percentage and electoral rolls
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday came out with a point-by-point rebuttal to the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's 'baseless' and 'unwarranted' claims over Maharashtra Assembly elections and the alleged discrepancy in voters list. The EC's rebuttal comes a day after Rahul Gandhi, while being on foreign soil, stated that the poll body was compromised and cited an example of the Maharashtra elections to buttress his claims. He questioned the EC's 'reasoning' of 65 lakh votes being cast in the last two hours of polling and termed it 'physically impossible.' The EC on Tuesday shared facts and data pertaining to Maharashtra elections, to deflate and debunk Congress MP's claims. About 58 lakh voters polled per hour The EC informed that during the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, a total of 6,40,87,588 electors reached the polling station from 7 am to 6 pm and cast their votes. About 58 lakh votes were polled per hour, on average. Further, rejecting his claims of 65 lakh votes in the last two hours as an 'impossible task', it said, 'Going by these average trends, nearly 116 Lakh voters could have voted in last two hours. Therefore, casting of 65 lakhs votes by electors in two hours is much below the average hourly voting trends,' it said. INC candidates/agents didn't raise any alarm The EC further informed that the polling progressed in every polling booth, in front of the polling agents, formally appointed by candidates/political parties. 'Congress's nominated candidates or their authorised agents didn't raise any substantiated allegations with regards to any kind of abnormal voting at the time of scrutiny before the Returning Officer (RO) and the Election Observers on the next day,' it said. Electoral rolls as per established norms Dismissing Congress's charges on electoral rolls, the poll body said that the voters list in the country, including Maharashtra, was prepared as per the Representation of People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. 'As per law, either just before the elections and/or once every year, Special Summary Revision of the Electoral Rolls is conducted and a final copy of the Electoral Rolls is handed over to all the national/state political parties, including Indian National Congress (INC),' it added. Only 89 appeals against 9 crore voters The EC states that after finalisation of Electoral Rolls during Maharashtra elections, as against 9,77,90,752 electors, only a total of 89 appeals were filed before the 1st appellate authority (DM), and only 1 appeal was filed before the 2nd appellate authority (CEO). 'It therefore makes it clear that there was no grievance of the INC or any other political parties before the conduct of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections in 2024,' it said. EC officials explained that Congress ignored facts The Election Commission also said that it had brought out all these facts in its reply to the INC on December 24, 2024, which is available on ECI's website. It appears that all these facts are being completely ignored while raising such issues again and again. 'During the revision of Electoral Rolls, for 1,00,427 polling booths, along with 97,325 Booth Level Officers appointed by the EROs, 1,03,727 Booth Level Agents were also appointed by all political parties, including 27,099 by the INC. Therefore, these unsubstantiated allegations raised against the Electoral Rolls of Maharashtra are an affront to the rule of law,' the EC said in a statement. Besides refuting the charges, the poll body also slammed the Congress party for spreading misinformation and called it an affront and insult to the rule of law. 'Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their own political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections,' it said. Taking strong exception to Rahul's 'EC compromised' remarks, it said that such remarks are aimed at defaming the poll body, which is completely absurd.
India.com
22-04-2025
- Politics
- India.com
58 Lakh Voting Per Hour: Election Commission Responds To Rahul Gandhis Maharashtra Voter Manipulation Allegation
NEW DELHI: Sources in the Election Commission on Tuesday issued a strong rebuttal of the Congress party's charge that the voter list in the Maharashtra Assembly polls was manipulated. According to EC sources, during the Assembly Elections in Maharashtra, 6,40,87,588 electors, who arrived at the polling station between 7 am and 6 pm, cast their votes. About 58 lakh votes were polled per hour on average. Going by these average trends, nearly 116 Lakh voters could have voted in the last two hours. Therefore, casting of 65 lakhs votes by electors in two hours is much below the average hourly voting trends. Sources further stated that in every polling booth, voting proceeded in the presence of polling agents formally appointed by candidates or political parties. Indian National Congress' nominated candidates or their authorised agents have not raised any substantiated allegations with regard to any kind of abnormal voting at the time of scrutiny before the Returning Officer (RO) and the Election Observers on the next day. Electoral Rolls in India, including those in Maharashtra, are prepared in accordance with the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. As per law, either just before the elections and/or once every year, Special Summary Revision of the Electoral Rolls is conducted and a final copy of the Electoral Rolls is handed over to all the National/State political parties, including the Congress. After the finalisation of these Electoral Rolls during the Maharashtra elections, as against 9,77,90,752 Electors, only a total of 89 appeals were filed before the first appellate authority (DM), and only one appeal was filed before the second appellate authority (CEO). Therefore, it is amply clear that there was no grievance of the INC or any other political parties before the conduct of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections in 2024, said EC sources. During the revision of electoral rolls for 1,00,427 Polling Booths, along with 97,325 Booth-Level Officers, 1,03,727 Booth-Level Agents were also appointed by all Political Parties, including 27,099 by the Congress. Therefore, these unsubstantiated allegations raised against the Electoral Rolls of Maharashtra are an affront to the rule of law, sources added. The EC's response follows Rahul Gandhi's allegation, made while addressing the diaspora in Boston in the United States, that the Election Commission (EC) in India is "compromised," further stating that there is something fundamentally wrong with the system. Citing the example of the Maharashtra elections, the senior Congress leader alleged that 65 lakh voters were added to the voter list in two hours, which was impossible. "More people voted in the Maharashtra Assembly elections than there are adults in the State of Maharashtra. The Election Commission provided us with a voting figure for 5:30 PM, and between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM, 65 lakh voters cast their votes. This is physically impossible to happen. To vote, a voter typically requires approximately three minutes. If you do the Math, it would mean that there were lines of voters until 2 AM, but this did not happen. When we asked them for the videography, they not only refused but they also changed the law so that now we are not allowed to ask for the videography," he claimed. "It's very clear to us that the Election Commission is compromised, and there is something very wrong with the system. I have said this multiple times, " Gandhi further said. According to sources in the EC, the Commission had presented these facts in its reply to the Congress on December 24, 2024, and it appears that these facts were completely overlooked while raising such issues repeatedly. EC sources further said, all Indian elections are held in accordance with the law. The scale and accuracy with which elections are conducted in India are widely acclaimed worldwide. The entire nation is aware that each election process, including the preparation of electoral rolls, polling, and counting, is conducted by Government staff and that, too, in the presence of authorised representatives formally appointed by political parties or candidates from the polling station up to the constituency level. Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards the Law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their own political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections. After any unfavourable verdict by the voters, attempting to defame the Election Commission by claiming it is compromised is completely absurd.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Maharashtra voter list manipulated? EC sources give strong reply to Rahul Gandhi's claims
Sources in the Election Commission on Tuesday issued a strong rebuttal of the Congress party 's charge that the voter list in the Maharashtra Assembly polls was manipulated. According to EC sources, during the Assembly Elections in Maharashtra, 6,40,87,588 electors, who arrived at the polling station between 7 am and 6 pm, cast their votes. About 58 lakh votes were polled per hour on average. Going by these average trends, nearly 116 Lakh voters could have voted in the last two hours. Therefore, casting of 65 lakhs votes by electors in two hours is much below the average hourly voting trends. Sources further stated that in every polling booth, voting proceeded in the presence of polling agents formally appointed by candidates or political parties. Indian National Congress' nominated candidates or their authorised agents have not raised any substantiated allegations with regard to any kind of abnormal voting at the time of scrutiny before the Returning Officer (RO) and the Election Observers on the next day. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo Electoral Rolls in India, including those in Maharashtra, are prepared in accordance with the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. As per law, either just before the elections and/or once every year, Special Summary Revision of the Electoral Rolls is conducted and a final copy of the Electoral Rolls is handed over to all the National/State political parties, including the Congress. After the finalisation of these Electoral Rolls during the Maharashtra elections , as against 9,77,90,752 Electors, only a total of 89 appeals were filed before the first appellate authority (DM), and only one appeal was filed before the second appellate authority (CEO). Therefore, it is amply clear that there was no grievance of the INC or any other political parties before the conduct of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections in 2024, said EC sources. Live Events During the revision of electoral rolls for 1,00,427 Polling Booths, along with 97,325 Booth-Level Officers, 1,03,727 Booth-Level Agents were also appointed by all Political Parties, including 27,099 by the Congress. Therefore, these unsubstantiated allegations raised against the Electoral Rolls of Maharashtra are an affront to the rule of law, sources added. The EC's response follows Rahul Gandhi 's allegation, made while addressing the diaspora in Boston in the United States, that the Election Commission (EC) in India is "compromised," further stating that there is something fundamentally wrong with the system. Citing the example of the Maharashtra elections, the senior Congress leader alleged that 65 lakh voters were added to the voter list in two hours, which was impossible. "More people voted in the Maharashtra Assembly elections than there are adults in the State of Maharashtra. The Election Commission provided us with a voting figure for 5:30 PM, and between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM, 65 lakh voters cast their votes. This is physically impossible to happen. To vote, a voter typically requires approximately three minutes. If you do the Math, it would mean that there were lines of voters until 2 AM, but this did not happen. When we asked them for the videography, they not only refused but they also changed the law so that now we are not allowed to ask for the videography," he claimed. "It's very clear to us that the Election Commission is compromised, and there is something very wrong with the system. I have said this multiple times, " Gandhi further said. According to sources in the EC, the Commission had presented these facts in its reply to the Congress on December 24, 2024, and it appears that these facts were completely overlooked while raising such issues repeatedly. EC sources further said, all Indian elections are held in accordance with the law. The scale and accuracy with which elections are conducted in India are widely acclaimed worldwide. The entire nation is aware that each election process, including the preparation of electoral rolls, polling, and counting, is conducted by Government staff and that, too, in the presence of authorised representatives formally appointed by political parties or candidates from the polling station up to the constituency level. Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards the Law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their own political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections. After any unfavourable verdict by the voters, attempting to defame the Election Commission by claiming it is compromised is completely absurd. (ANI)
