Raj Thackeray Raises Concerns Over Fairness of Maharashtra Municipal Elections
Concerns Over Election Integrity
Raj Thackeray, the leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), expressed his apprehensions regarding the integrity of the ongoing municipal elections in Maharashtra. He stated that if power is obtained through fraudulent means, it cannot be considered a legitimate election. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is contesting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in alliance with Thackeray's MNS.
After casting his vote in the BMC elections in Mumbai, Thackeray spoke to reporters and alleged that a voting machine referred to as "Padu" was being utilized without prior notification to political parties from the state election commission. He demanded clarification from the election commission regarding this matter.
Issues with Voting Machines
The Printing Auxiliary Display Unit (PADU) serves as a backup to connect the voting unit to the control unit in case of emergencies or technical failures. Thackeray highlighted that the issue of VVPAT usage was raised, claiming it would not be employed. Subsequently, the machine named 'Padu' was introduced. He criticized the lack of opposition or dissenting voices, asserting that the government dictates how elections are conducted, and he vowed to prevent such occurrences.
Thackeray emphasized that while introducing new machines is one aspect, the election commission failed to provide comprehensive information about this machine to any political party.
Allegations of Irregularities
He further noted that despite repeated complaints and requests, no information regarding the machine has been disclosed. The MNS leader stated that when elections are conducted through such fraudulent means, they cannot be termed elections. He also raised concerns about irregularities during voting, citing instances where re-voting might be necessary. Thackeray accused the authorities of using a different ink for marking votes, which has now been replaced with a new pen, leading to complaints that the ink fades when sanitizer is applied.
He mentioned that despite submitting written objections, no action has been taken. The new pen being used has raised issues, as the ink disappears upon application of sanitizer. This situation allows voters to mark their votes, exit, erase the ink, and then re-enter to vote again. Thackeray aimed to shed light on the operational aspects of this system, asserting that the government's and administration's efforts are focused on ensuring electoral victory by any means necessary, including the issue of re-voting.