In a democracy, the responsibility of conducting free and fair elections lies with the autonomous Election Commission. However, the Commission has failed to uphold this standard during the Maharashtra Assembly elections, said Praveen Chakravarty, national president of Professional Congress.
Chakravarty alleged that a significant discrepancy in the electoral rolls benefitted the BJP alliance.
"Within just six months after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the voter count increased by 48 lakh for the Assembly elections. Notably, between the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections—five years—the voter count increased by 32 lakh. So, how could the voter count increase by 48 lakh in just six months? The Election Commission must provide evidence to explain this anomaly," he said.
To mark National Voter's Day, the Congress on Saturday held state-wide protests to safeguard democracy and organized press conferences. Chakravarty, along with former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, and former MP Kumar Ketkar, addressed a press meet in Mumbai.
Chakravarty pointed out that the Election Commission had claimed that Maharashtra had 9.7 crore voters for the Assembly elections. "However, according to the Union Health Ministry, Maharashtra’s adult population above 18 years is 9.54 crore. This raises the question of how there is a discrepancy of 16 lakh voters," he said.
He further alleged that the electoral rolls showed several irregularities. "For instance, in the Shirdi constituency’s Loni village, 5,000 voters were registered at a single address. When Congress candidate Prabhavati Ghogare asked these voters for identity and residence proof, it was revealed that they were not local residents. A complaint was lodged with the Election Commission, but no response was received," he said.
Chakravarty went on to claim that after the Lok Sabha elections, 20,000 to 25,000 new voters were added to each of the 132 Assembly constituencies. "In 62 of these constituencies, the BJP-led alliance was leading during the Lok Sabha elections. However, in the Assembly elections, the alliance won 112 of these 132 constituencies," he said, adding that this unexplained and suspicious increase in the voter count has raised doubts.
The Congress has demanded that the Election Commission release all relevant data publicly.
Chakravarty further criticized the Commission, saying that while January 25 is celebrated as National Voter's Day, the Election Commission has turned it into a "Cheater Day."
Former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan stated that although the Election Commission should be congratulated on National Voter's Day, the people of Maharashtra are unwilling to extend any goodwill. The discrepancies in the voter rolls for the Assembly elections are a major issue. The Congress party is fighting against the Election Commission's partiality. As many as 100 defeated MVA candidates have filed petitions in various courts across the state, he said.
Chavan further said that Indian democracy is well-established and attracts global attention. However, if the Election Commission exhibits bias during elections, it poses a significant threat to our democratic system, he alleged.
