Rahul Gandhi Threatens Legal Action if EC Fails to Release Full Maharashtra Voter List
New Delhi, 07-02-2025: Rahul Gandhi has raised serious concerns over alleged electoral irregularities in Maharashtra, accusing the Election Commission of large-scale manipulation of the voters’ list. Speaking at a press conference at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi, alongside NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha warned that Congress would be left with no choice but to approach the court if the Election Commission fails to provide the complete list of voters, including names, addresses, and photographs, without delay.
Highlighting a striking anomaly in voter registrations, Gandhi pointed out that Maharashtra’s electoral roll grew by 32 lakh voters over five years between the 2019 Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. However, in just five months leading up to the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, an additional 39 lakh voters were added. Expressing deep suspicion over these figures, he accused the Election Commission of failing to maintain transparency and control over the voter lists.
Raising further concerns, the former Congress president alleged that a significant number of voters from Dalit, Tribal, and minority communities had either been removed or relocated from the electoral rolls. While the number of newly added voters is known, the extent of voter deletions remains unclear. “We fear that the number of deleted voters is much higher than the newly added ones,” Gandhi stated, cautioning that such discrepancies could undermine the fairness of the electoral process.
Questioning the credibility of the Election Commission, Gandhi demanded an explanation for why Maharashtra saw more voter additions in the last five months than it did in the previous five years. He also sought clarity on how the number of registered voters in the 2024 Assembly elections could exceed the state’s adult population.
Providing a specific instance, he cited the Kamthi Assembly Constituency, where 35,000 new voters were suddenly registered, calling it just one among many constituencies experiencing similar irregularities. According to him, this pointed to a larger pattern of electoral manipulation that needed urgent investigation.
Echoing Gandhi’s concerns, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut termed the issue a matter of national importance, stressing that the Election Commission must respond if it wants to retain public trust. He went a step further, alleging that the newly registered 39 lakh voters were actually “floating voters” being strategically moved to different states ahead of elections to benefit the BJP. “These voters are following a pattern. Some have already been shifted to Delhi, and next, they will be moved to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh,” Raut claimed.
Supriya Sule also voiced similar apprehensions, emphasizing that such irregularities weaken the democratic process and raise serious questions about the credibility of elections.
Gandhi had earlier flagged these concerns in Parliament during the motion of thanks to the President’s address, reiterating the gravity of the issue. With opposition parties mounting pressure for transparency, the controversy surrounding Maharashtra’s voter list is expected to intensify, potentially leading to legal action and a broader debate on electoral integrity in the country.
