40% drop, 45% rise: Congress questions Maharashtra voter rolls

Despite the Election Commission’s dismissal of Opposition claims of voter fraud in states like Karnataka and Bihar, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Monday, 18 August, raised fresh concerns over alleged irregularities in the Maharashtra assembly elections, citing “gross violations” in four constituencies due to polling officers’ lapses.

Brushing aside the Election Commission’s rejection of Opposition charges of voter fraud in Karnataka, Bihar and elsewhere, Khera reignited the controversy.

Khera’s remarks follow Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party’s repeated charge that nearly one crore fraudulent entries were made in Maharashtra’s voter list between the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in 2024.

Sharing details on X, Khera, who heads the Congress media and publicity department, alleged that Ramtek and Devlali constituencies witnessed a sudden decline of nearly 40 per cent in voters, while Nashik West and Hingna saw an unexpected surge of around 45 per cent — all within just six months between the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the year-end assembly polls.

“Close to 40 per cent of the electorate died/permanently migrated in Ramtek and Devlali. Around 45 per cent of the electorate suddenly became eligible to vote in Nashik West and Hingna,” Khera posted, citing a bar graph that showed a 38.45 per cent drop in Ramtek and 36.82 per cent in Devlali, alongside a 47.38 per cent increase in Nashik West and 43.08 per cent in Hingna.

The charges come after chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar dismissed Opposition claims as “hearsay” meant to mislead voters. On Maharashtra, Kumar said the Congress neither raised objections for eight months after the polls nor approached the Supreme Court with evidence, questioning the timing of its allegations.

Despite the EC’s firm denial, Khera’s fresh claims are expected to intensify the standoff between the Congress and the poll panel. The party has consistently attributed its poor performance in the Maharashtra Assembly elections to a sudden surge in voting after 5 pm on polling day and alleged fraudulent additions to the voter list.

With IANS inputs