Congress approaches EC, questions Maharashtra poll outcome

The Congress on Friday raised serious doubts about the elections in Maharashtra where it was routed, saying there had been “certain serious and grave inconsistencies” regarding the results.

The party submitted a 12-page “urgent memorandum” to the poll panel, referring to doubts about voter data put forward by former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi and raised two points of concern.

Mass deletion of names

The Congress said the first was the "arbitrary deletion of voters and (the) subsequent addition of over 10,000 voters in each constituency" and the second was an "inexplicable increase in voting percentages".

This, it said, led to an unprecedented increase of (around) 47 lakh voters being added to the electoral roll from between July and November 2024.

"It is significant to note that out of the 50 Assembly seats where there was an average increase of 50,000 voters, the ruling regime and its allies secured victory from 47...," the Congress said.

Also read: Maharashtra vote numbers: Election data scientist alleges manipulation 

EC asked to probe complaints

The Congress has alleged a systemic effort to try and reduce the number of voters sympathetic to the Opposition alliance, which lost very heavily to the BJP-led coalition.

The party urged the Election Commission to conduct a thorough investigation into its complaints.

The Congress said that at the Tuljapur seat, fake Aadhaar cards were created by individuals with differing photos and names to cast illegal votes.

The Congress also pointed out the Election Commission’s average voter turnout at 5 pm was 58.22 per cent but this jumped to 65.02 per cent by 11.30 pm.

"Further, there was another increase in voting percentage, ultimately being reported as 66.05 per cent, several hours prior to counting. From a common sense viewpoint, over 70 lakh votes being cast in the closing hour of polling is implausible and unheard of in electoral history," the Congress said.

Also watch: 26,500 votes manipulated in each Maharashtra seat: Pyarelal Garg

Doubts about election process

"Even assuming time taken by one individual to cast their vote is two minutes... it is impossible for the Election Commission to have even come out with the final data by 11.30 pm, considering that 76 lakh voters would have exercised their franchise within the last hour of polling.

"It is submitted," the Congress' letter concluded, "that the said discrepancies raise several questions about the manner in which the election was conducted across Maharashtra."

The Congress had raised similar concerns on the earlier Assembly elections in Haryana which too it lost to the BJP despite exit polls predicting an easy Congress victory.

The poll panel had then dismissed the criticism as "baseless” and told political parties not to come up with "unfounded and sensational complaints".