Is Rahul Gandhi's Allegation of Electoral Manipulation in Maharashtra Justified?

Election Commission Responds to Rahul Gandhi's Claims

New Delhi: A source from the Election Commission has labeled the allegations made by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi regarding discrepancies in Maharashtra's electoral rolls as unfounded. This statement comes in light of Gandhi's claims about potential electoral manipulation.

The official emphasized that the revision of electoral rolls in Maharashtra was conducted transparently, with oversight from 1,03,727 Booth Level Agents, including 27,099 appointed by the Indian National Congress (INC). They asserted that there is no justification for Gandhi's insinuations regarding the integrity of the electoral process.

The Election Commission follows a detailed protocol for updating electoral rolls, ensuring that any changes comply with Article 324 of the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of the Electors Rules, 1960, along with ongoing directives from the Commission.

In a recent article in a national publication, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of 'match-fixing' in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, sparking a political uproar. Opposition parties have seized upon his claims, suggesting they reveal a broader pattern of electoral manipulation and highlight the Election Commission's lack of response to pressing concerns raised by the opposition coalition.

However, Election Commission representatives countered Gandhi's assertions, questioning why no formal appeals were lodged if the allegations held any merit. Following the finalization of the electoral rolls, only 89 appeals were submitted to the first appellate authority (District Magistrate) out of a total of 9,77,90,752 electors, according to a source. Furthermore, just one appeal reached the second appellate authority (Chief Electoral Officer).

In response to Gandhi's accusations, BJP leader Amit Malviya shared a news clip on social media that stated the Election Commission deemed the Congress's claims as 'misleading' and 'baseless.' The Commission reiterated that the process for voter deletions was consistent and transparent.